Global Infectious Disease Research Training Program (D43 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 20 229

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 229

The Global Infectious Disease Research Training Program (D43 Clinical Trial Optional), listed as PAR-20-229, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity designed to build long-term infectious disease research capacity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through structured, collaborative training programs. The announcement specifically encourages joint applications led by partnerships between a U.S. institution and an LMIC institution, with the central expectation that the program will strengthen the LMIC partner institution's ability to design, conduct, and sustain high-quality infectious disease research that responds to local and regional public health needs.

The program, supported through NIH's Fogarty International Center (FIC), prioritizes training efforts focused on infectious diseases that are major causes of illness and death in LMIC settings. This includes diseases that are endemic in particular regions, life-threatening emerging infections, and neglected tropical diseases, as well as infections that commonly occur as co-infections among people living with HIV. The FOA also supports training tied to infectious processes that intersect with non-communicable disease conditions that are of public health importance in LMICs, recognizing that infectious and chronic disease burdens often overlap and interact in real-world clinical and community settings.

A key feature of the opportunity is its flexibility in the types of research training that can be supported. Programs may emphasize prevention, treatment, or public health strategies, and they can be built around multiple scientific approaches, including basic science, epidemiology, clinical research, behavioral research, and social science health research. The training model is expected to be comprehensive rather than limited to coursework alone. Applicants are expected to incorporate formal didactic instruction, strong mentored research experiences, and career development skills components so that trainees are prepared not only to complete individual projects, but also to develop into independent researchers whose work can meaningfully influence LMIC priority health research agendas over the long term.

This FOA is designated "Clinical Trial Optional," which matters for how the training plan can be structured. The announcement allows support for trainees who will gain hands-on experience with clinical trials in several ways: they may serve as the lead investigator on an independent clinical trial, they may lead a separate ancillary clinical trial, or they may participate in and gain experience through a clinical trial led by another investigator. In other words, clinical trial involvement is permitted but not required, and when included, it must be framed as an intentional part of the trainee's research training and career development pathway.

Eligibility is broad across higher education institutions and certain mission-driven organizations. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and other organizations that meet NIH requirements. The FOA explicitly notes eligibility for a range of institutions, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), as well as U.S. territories or possessions. Importantly for a global training program, non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations/foreign institutions) are eligible to apply. At the same time, the FOA draws a line that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, which affects how multinational universities and overseas branches may need to structure submissions.

From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity falls under the NIH health funding activity category, uses the grant funding instrument, and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.855 and 93.989. The source information lists the original closing date as February 18, 2021, with the FOA created on June 10, 2020. While the summary data does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards, the purpose is clearly centered on developing sustainable research training pipelines and institutional capacity in LMIC settings through structured, mentored, collaborative programs focused on high-priority infectious disease challenges.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Global Infectious Disease Research Training Program (D43 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855, 93.989.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-06-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-02-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for PAR 20 229

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