New NOSI Stimulates Research Targeting Pathogens Within the Arthropod Vector

Vector-borne diseases account for 17 percent of all infectious diseases world-wide. Arthropod vectors can transmit viruses, bacteria, parasites, and nematodes to humans resulting in high morbidity and mortality in endemic countries. While human- and vector-focused interventions have had some success, these measures have not achieved sufficient levels of control to prevent or eliminate vector-borne disease burden. There is a need to develop novel approaches that are effective, safe for the environment, and do not promote the development of resistance.

NIAID’s Notice of Special Interest (NOSI)—Targeting the Pathogen Within the Arthropod Vector aims to stimulate multidisciplinary research that targets the pathogen within the invertebrate host to prevent its transmission to the vertebrate host.

Research Objectives

Successful novel approaches will:

• Target the pathogen within the arthropod vector.
• Use transgenics targeting ligand/receptor molecules in the pathogen/vector or that hinder development of the pathogen in the vector.
• Use vector symbionts to hamper pathogen development or transmission to the vertebrate host.
• Use ‘omics data and computational methodologies to identify likely targets.

Examples of NIAID-specific areas of research include:

• Multidisciplinary collaborative research on pathogen (virus, bacteria, parasite, nematode) biology within the arthropod vector (mosquito, tick, sand fly, black fly, tsetse fly, triatomine bug, fleas, and body lice), as well as vector-pathogen or microbiome interactions that will accelerate the identification of targets to prevent the pathogen from developing and being transmitted to a vertebrate host.
• Use of computational, systems biology, or modeling approaches to develop hypotheses that can be tested.

Application and Submission Information

This notice applies to due dates on or after February 5, 2023, and subsequent standard receipt dates through January 7, 2026.

Apply for this initiative using one of the following funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) or any reissues of these FOAs through the expiration date of this notice.

• NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01, Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21, Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

You should follow all instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide and the FOA through which you submit. Additionally, you must include “NOT-AI-22-074" (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF 424 R&R form or NIAID will not consider your application as associated with this notice.

Direct any questions to NIAID’s scientific/research contact Dr. Adriana Costero-Saint Denis at 240-292-4184 or acostero@niaid.nih.gov.