Transitioning Investigator Awards Program

The DC CFAR Transitioning Investigator Awards Program aims to provide two-year pilot funding up to $100,000 on a competitive and invitation-only basis. This program is designed for established investigators in non-HIV fields, who have not received an NIH award for HIV/AIDS research, and are interested in applying their scientific expertise within the HIV/AIDS field. The goal of this program is to encourage senior faculty to introduce innovative approaches to HIV/AIDS, using this pilot award to collect preliminary data to compete for federal funding within this field.

Investigator Eligibility

Faculty investigators at the nine participating DC CFAR institutions (American University, Children's National Health System, DC Health, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Howard University, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Us Helping Us and Whitman-Walker) who are full members of the DC CFAR are eligible to submit concept sheets as Principal Investigators (PI). PIs must be established investigators who have served as the PI on a non-HIV/AIDS related R01 NIH award or equivalent, including DP1, DP2, DP5, R37, R56, RF1, RL1, U01 and R35; have a doctoral degree; hold a current academic faculty appointment; and be eligible to submit NIH grant applications through their home institution’s office of research.

Research Scope

The Transitioning Investigator Awards Program specifically funds research projects with a focus on HIV/AIDS and related opportunistic illnesses, including basic, clinical, epidemiologic, social, behavioral, and prevention HIV/AIDS science. Applications should focus on the NIH high priority HIV/AIDS research areas, which broadly focus on: reducing HIV/AIDS incidence; the next generation of HIV therapies and implementation research on the HIV continuum of care; cure research; HIV-associated comorbidities, coinfections, and complications; and cross cutting areas in basic research and health disparities. Clinical trials and studies involving new drugs, treatments, or devices cannot be funded by the DC CFAR.

Application Process

A call for research concept sheets (PDF) is released to investigators. Concept sheets are then reviewed and selected investigators are invited to submit full applications.