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HIV Research Program

Early Career Investigator Resources

Two female scientists working with test tubes and a microscope

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of AIDS Research (OAR) coordinates HIV/AIDS research across NIH. The NIH provides the largest public investment in HIV/AIDS research globally. NIH OAR supports and promotes diversity to advance research and enhance innovation to end the HIV pandemic. As stated in the NIH Strategic Plan for HIV and HIV-Related Research, Goal 4 is to “build human resource and infrastructure capacity to enhance sustainability of HIV research discovery and the implementation of findings by a diverse and multidisciplinary workforce.”

To advance these goals, NIH OAR gathered input from a broad range of audiences on how to improve outreach to the next generation of HIV investigators and effectively address training and capacity-building programs. (Learn about select community engagements in this recent summary of OAR-hosted listening sessions.) In response to the significant input received, NIH OAR developed an HIV early career investigator page to centralize relevant information for investigators and provide easy access to grant opportunities, basic information, and other resources, such as training and capacity building programs.

Learn From Past Events for Early Career Investigators

NIH OAR 2024 Workshop for Early Career Investigators in HIV: The NIH Office of AIDS Research, in partnership with offices across NIH, held the third annual virtual workshop for students, postdocs, and new HIV investigators on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. You can now find more information on the event webpage, read the Executive Summary, and watch video recordings of the workshop.

NIH OAR 2023 Workshop for Early Career Investigators in HIV: In partnership with offices across NIH, OAR held the second annual virtual workshop for early career HIV investigators, mentors, and other researchers. View mentor presentations from the 2023 workshop at the links below.

Mallory Johnson, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco
Always Have a Plan But Always Be Ready to Not Follow It

Carlos Rodriguez-Diaz, Ph.D., M.P.H.E., MCHES, George Washington University
Conducting Community-Centered HIV Research With Latinx Populations

David Chang, Ph.D., currently OAR Senior Science Advisor; previously NIH Center for Scientific Review
The NIH Grant Application Cycle: From Submission to Notice of Award

  • NIH OAR Data Hub
    • Explore the NIH HIV research portfolio with a new tool that allows users to search and filter awarded projects by research topic, funding opportunity, organization, and more.
  • NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities and Guidelines for Determining HIV/AIDS Funding
    • Find information from NIH OAR about NIH HIV/AIDS research priorities and guidelines for allocation of HIV funding for fiscal years 2021-2025.
  • NIH Grants and Funding
    • Find application instructions and guidance to submit grant applications to the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
    • Listen to the NIH All About Grants Podcasts to hear about the ins and outs of NIH funding and get insights on grant topics.
  • NIH Research Training and Career Development
    • Explore individual and institutional NIH research training and career development (K award) opportunities at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels.
  • Save the date for the 2024 NIH OAR Workshop for Early Career Investigators in HIV on April 24, 2024.
    • Learn about our 2023 event.

Use these dates and resources to guide your grant submission plans.

Visit the NIH ICO websites to learn about HIV research and funding opportunities, such as the following –

Learn more about the programs, conferences, and opportunities offered by NIH.

The HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) is the world’s largest publicly funded multi-disciplinary international collaboration facilitating the development of vaccines to prevent HIV/AIDS. The HVTN conducts all phases of clinical trials, from evaluating experimental vaccines for safety and immunogenicity to testing vaccine efficacy. Explore HVTN to learn about opportunities and programs for new investigators such as the Scholar Awards.

  • Scholar Awards: The Research and Mentorship Program (RAMP) aims to recruit and retain a new generation of HIV vaccine researchers by providing structured mentorship and project funding to African American/Black and Latinx U.S. medical students.
  • Submit an Idea or Proposal: HVTN welcomes the ideas of the scientific community regarding new proposals for HIV vaccine studies that are not currently being planned or pursued.
  • Ancillary/Exploratory Studies: The HVTN shares data and specimens collected in its studies with investigators who would like to use HVTN’s materials to answer research questions related to vaccinology, immunology, or HIV/AIDS.

These visuals outline career path options and examples of NIH-funded mechanisms available to individuals in different stages of their careers. There are a variety of paths to pursue. For more information about individual funding mechanisms, see NIH Research Training and Career Development Programs.

Career path for scientists with PhD degrees, including opportunities for undergraduate, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and early career assistant professors.

Career path for scientists with Medical degrees, including opportunities for undergraduates, medical students, clinical fellows and early career assistant professors.

HIV Funding Opportunities

This list of Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) may include HIV/AIDS receipt dates. Please note that some FOAs allow HIV/AIDS applications but they may have specific requests such as all AIMS should be related to HIV research. Contact the Program Officer indicated in the individual funding opportunity to request further details.

This page last reviewed on July 30, 2024