Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) (U19 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Background
The Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) is a transformative program initiated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to address the developmental and clinical course of individuals living with HIV, particularly those with perinatally acquired HIV.

The focus is on youth through reproductive age in the United States, aiming to understand the long-term effects of HIV and its treatment on various health outcomes.

Grant Details
The PHACS initiative supports research that investigates the developmental and clinical trajectories of individuals living with HIV, including fertility, pregnancy outcomes, complications, co-morbidities, and sexually transmitted infections.

Key activities include:
- Recruitment of cohorts of 500 to 1,000 individuals at risk for or living with perinatally or behaviorally acquired HIV.
- Collection of data on reproductive health, cardiovascular risks, neurodevelopmental outcomes, and the impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART).
- Development and implementation of a quality assurance plan for data management.
- Establishment of scientific collaborations to enhance research efforts.
- Conducting focused research pilots to answer emerging scientific questions.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include higher education institutions (public or private), nonprofits, for-profit organizations (including small businesses), local and state governments, tribal governments, and other entities.

Special encouragement is given to institutions serving underrepresented populations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-serving institutions. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply.

Period of Performance
The project period for this grant is set for 5 years.

Grant Value
The NIH intends to commit an estimated total of $11 million to fund 1-2 awards. Individual application budgets may not exceed $5.5 million in direct costs per year.

Place of Performance
The grant activities will primarily be conducted within the United States.