Concepts represent early planning stages for program announcements, requests for applications, notices of special interest, or solicitations for Council’s input. If NIAID publishes an initiative from one of these concepts, we link to it below. To find initiatives, go to Opportunities & Announcements.
Note: Council approval does not guarantee that a concept will become an initiative.
Table of Contents
Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (DAIT) Concepts
- Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers
- CIVICs Data Management and Coordinating Center
- Molecular Mechanisms of Combination Adjuvants (MMCA)
- NIAID DAIT Clinical Products Center (CPC)
- Nonhuman Primate Reagent Resource
- Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST)
- Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)—Accelerating Progress in Celiac Disease Research
- Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)—Leveraging Microbial Exposure for Improving Mouse Models of Human Immunity
- Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)—Somatic Cell Gene Editing Therapies to Improve Transplantation Outcomes
Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers
For the published request for applications, check the January 16, 2025 Guide announcement, Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers (U19, Clinical Trial Optional).
CIVICs Data Management and Coordinating Center
Request for Proposals—proposed FY 2026 initiative
Contact:
Maribel Miranda
maribel.miranda@nih.gov
Objective: To provide a data management and program coordination center for the Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers (CIVICs) network.
Description: The purpose of this renewal solicitation is to provide data management and program coordination services to the CIVICs network (Vaccine Centers and related Cores) in the areas of preclinical data and meta-data management services (studies include animal models and nonclinical trial human subjects research); development of harmonized data standards; and coordination of CIVICs network-related activities including cross-network communication and collaboration, CIVICs-wide meeting and webinar management, and tracking and distribution of CIVICs-generated reagents and other resources to CIVICs investigators and the broader research community.
Molecular Mechanisms of Combination Adjuvants (MMCA)
For the published request for applications, check the January 13, 2025 Guide announcement, Molecular Mechanisms of Combination Adjuvants (MMCA) (R01, Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
NIAID DAIT Clinical Products Center (CPC)
For the published request for proposals, check the October 18, 2024 solicitation, NIAID Clinical Products Center (CPC).
Nonhuman Primate Reagent Resource
Request for Applications—proposed FY 2026 initiative
Contact:
Shilpa Kulkarni
shilpa.kulkarni@nih.gov
Objective: To continue support for a nonhuman primate (NHP) reagent resource that enables rigorous and reproducible research in NHP models through the development, production, and distribution of key NHP-specific immunologic reagents that are not commercially available or, if commercially available, are not optimized for use in NHPs. The over-arching goal is to accelerate cures, vaccines, and treatments for immune-mediated diseases and emerging and reemerging infectious diseases by facilitating robust preclinical research in NHPs.
Description: This initiative will support the Nonhuman Primate Reagent Resource (NHPRR). This resource will serve researchers working in NHP models by identifying, obtaining, developing, characterizing, evaluating, producing, and distributing to the scientific community key immunologic reagents for NHP research that are not commercially available or, if commercially available, are not optimized for use in NHPs. Supported reagent categories include those for: 1) in vitro assessment and characterization of the immune responses; 2) in vivo detection or imaging of immune molecules expressed extracellularly, intracellularly, or on the cell surface; and 3) in vivo immune-modulation and immune-based therapeutics. In addition, the resource will develop and maintain a public website to facilitate use of the resource, including a searchable database of information about available immunologic reagents, commercial and non-commercial, that cross-react with NHP cells or proteins. Through this initiative, the NHP research community will be able to request specific immunological reagents for development or acquisition. Requests will be reviewed and approved or rejected by the NHPRR based on demonstrated research community need, feasibility of product manufacturing and efficacy, NIAID approval, and the needs of the government.
Mucosal Immunology Studies Team (MIST)
Request for Applications—proposed FY 2026 initiative
Contact:
Deborah Hodge
hodged@mail.nih.gov
Objective: To support basic research projects on immune responses and immunoregulation at respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tract mucosal surfaces The goal is to understand the mucosa as a driver of immune function and regulation in homeostasis and disease.
Description: This program will support innovative basic research projects that focus on immune mechanisms and immune regulation at mucosal surfaces of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts. The main objective of this program is to break new ground in the understanding of basic mucosal immune mechanisms by introducing new ideas, approaches and technologies that address the difficult questions in mucosal immunology. The goal is to gain insight into how the mucosal immune system responds to pathogens at barrier surfaces, maintains homeostasis, and communicates systemically in health and disease. The initiative will promote cross-disciplinary collaborations; development of new technologies and tools; and discovery of new cells and pathways operating at the mucosa. The program will continue to include U01 projects and an Infrastructure and Opportunities Fund.
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)—Accelerating Progress in Celiac Disease Research
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)—proposed FY 2026 initiative
Contact:
Kelly Hudspeth
kelly.hudspeth@nih.gov
Objective: To inform potential applicants to NIH of special interest in research on the etiology and pathogenesis of celiac disease, identification of therapeutic targets, and development of preventative or disease ameliorating therapies/strategies.
Description: This NOSI will support investigations focused on gaining understanding of the immune basis of celiac disease, as follows:
- Determining mechanisms underlying loss of oral tolerance.
- Identifying triggers of autoimmunity in celiac disease.
- Evaluating strategies to eliminate and revert the pathogenic memory gluten-specific CD4 memory T cells.
- Defining the cellular circuits and mechanisms involved in tissue destruction.
- Identifying the role of microbiota in the loss of oral tolerance and tissue destruction.
- Finding immune modulating interventions and strategies to prevent celiac disease and/or restore tolerance.
- Identifying biomarkers to predict tissue destruction in celiac disease.
- Determining what makes gluten a harmful dietary antigen that can cause tissue destruction.
- Discovering what triggers development of inflammatory T helper-1 responses to a dietary antigen.
- Determining how tissue destruction is linked to loss of tolerance.
- Identifying pathogenic mechanisms shared between celiac disease and other complex immune disorders.
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)—Leveraging Microbial Exposure for Improving Mouse Models of Human Immunity
For the published notice of special interest, check the November 20, 2024 Guide notice, Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) — Leveraging Microbial Exposure for Improving Mouse Models of Human Immunity.
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)—Somatic Cell Gene Editing Therapies to Improve Transplantation Outcomes
For the published notice of special interest, check the December 3, 2024 Guide notice, Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Somatic Cell Gene Editing Therapies to Improve Transplantation Outcomes.