Pilot Award Program for Investigators New to HIV
Pilot funding for new UCSF HIV researchers to pursue innovative translational, clinical, or behavioral projects aligned with NIH HIV/AIDS priorities and generate preliminary data for future grants.
Funder: University of California San Francisco
Due Dates: September 28, 2026 (Full application submission deadline, 2:00 pm PST)
Funding Amounts: $50,000 direct costs for a one-year project; typical award duration is 1 year; indirect costs added as appropriate.
Summary: Supports innovative HIV research by new investigators at UCSF or partner institutions to launch projects and gather preliminary data for future grants.
Key Information: International projects are strongly discouraged and foreign subcontracts are not allowed at this time.
Description
This program provides pilot funding to assistant or associate faculty (including clinical series) who are new to HIV research and have not previously received HIV or SIV funding. The goal is to support innovative translational, clinical, or behavioral-epidemiological HIV research that can generate preliminary data for future grant applications. Projects must align with NIH’s HIV/AIDS high or medium priority areas, and closely related research (e.g., TB, HCV, drug use) is eligible only if clearly linked to HIV.
Research topics of interest include HIV/aging and inflammation, latency, cure, vaccines, co-infections, HIV in women, implementation science, and health disparities in HIV-affected Bay Area populations. While international research is technically allowed, current NIH policy changes mean international components and foreign subcontracts are strongly discouraged and not permitted for this cycle. Awardees are encouraged to utilize UCSF-Bay Area CFAR Science Cores and Working Groups.
The program aims to foster the careers of new HIV investigators, especially faculty at UCSF and affiliated partner institutions, by providing resources and mentorship to help them become competitive for future extramural funding.
