The HIV/AIDS pandemic and its challenges have a longstanding impact on conditions that fall within the mission of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Responding to this challenge, NIAMS has published a Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) to promote research opportunities on HIV/AIDS (NOT-AR-23-004). Applications are being accepted through January 7, 2028.

The NOSI alerts potential applicants to the NIAMS of an area of special interest in HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities that are within the Institute’s mission. NIH has provided the largest public investment in HIV/AIDS research globally. In line with overall NIH efforts, NIAMS encourages observational, translational, and basic/pre-clinical research focusing on how the presence or treatment of HIV/AIDS impacts systemic rheumatic, musculoskeletal and skin disease progression and pathogenesis, with a focus on utilization of existing HIV cohorts and repositories.

Projects should meet the NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities and Guidelines (NOT-OD-20-018). NIAMS is interested in supporting studies focused on, but not limited to:

• Investigating the impact of HIV infection, or anti-retroviral therapy (ART) on HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities that are within the NIAMS mission.
• Studying the prevalence and risk assessment and management of HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities in people living with HIV (PLWH).
• Identifying etiological targets or biomarkers along with mechanism of action for diagnosis or preclinical candidate therapeutic evaluation/development.

Examples of HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities that are within the NIAMS mission are:

• Musculoskeletal pain.
• Muscle diseases (e.g., sarcopenia, cachexia, muscular dystrophy).
• Cartilage degeneration (e.g., osteoarthritis).
• Bone diseases (e.g., osteoporosis, osteopenia).
• Bone fracture.
• Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases (e.g., reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, septic arthritis).
• Dermatological manifestations.

For more information on this initiative, please see:

Notice of Special Interest: Promoting Research Opportunities on HIV/AIDS in NIAMS

For inquiries, please contact:

Heiyoung Park, Ph.D.
Program Director, Scleroderma, Fibrosis, and Autoinflammatory Disease Program, NIAMS
Telephone: 301-594-5032
Email: parkh1@mail.nih.gov