Pilot Projects to Enhance the Human Virome Program (R03 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

The Common Fund Human Virome Program (HVP) aims to extensively and comprehensively characterize the "healthy" human virome (the collection of viruses that normally reside inside the human body without evidence of disease) and create tools, models, and methods that will enable an in-depth study of its variation and composition in relation to host factors and its influence on health and disease. The purpose of this NOFO is to support small pilot projects that extend the goals of the HVP, including further validating, improving, and complementing existing and newly developed tools from the HVP program by leveraging human specimens collected from the cohorts under the program; samples from animals to promote the refinement, utilization, and translation of these tools to better serve the goals of the HVP program; expanding existing cohorts and/or biospecimen sampling sites for virome characterization; developing tools, assays, and methods to study the human virome; and defining functional interactions between the human virome and host. These pilot projects will expand the HVP consortium, and collaboration across the HVP is expected. Applicants outside the current HVP are encouraged to apply and pilot projects should not overlap with existing HVP efforts (visit the Common Fund website for a list of funded research).

Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility. · Foreign Organizations/International Collaborations · Non-domestic (non-U. · S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply. · Non-domestic (non-U. · S.) components of U. · S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. · Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. · NIH will no longer issue awards (i.e., new, renewal, or non-competing continuation) to domestic or foreign entities that involve foreign subawards/subcontracts. All NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards/subcontracts must be submitted in response to a NOFO that is specifically designated for funded international collaborations. See NIH Grants Policy Statement 16.8 Collaborative International Research Awards. · Applications involving foreign subawards/subcontracts submitted in response to this NOFO will be deemed noncompliant and will not be considered for funding. This policy applies to all monetary international collaborations resulting in foreign subawards/subcontracts, however, it does not preclude unfunded international collaborations or foreign components, funding for foreign consultants, or procurement of unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors. · Regional Organizations;

Funding decisions are based on scientific merit (42 CFR 52h) and program relevance. Scientific merit review encompasses: the peer review criteria detailed in the specific funding announcement, as well as the significance, approach, and innovation of the proposed research; the competency of the principal investigator; the adequacy of the resources and environment; the proposed budget and requested period of support; and, where applicable, the adequacy of the measures for protecting against adverse effects upon humans, animals, or the environment.