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Request for Applications: HIV Research and Innovation
HIV research and innovation
Request for Applications: HIV Research and Innovation
MRC-RFA-SHIP-03-2025
Release Date: 6 March 2025
Closing Date: 30 April 2025, 16h00 SAST

Request for Applications: HIV Research and Innovation

6, Mar 2025

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) through the Strategic Health Innovation Partnerships program (SHIP) is pleased to announce the call for applications for HIV Research and Innovation.

This call is aimed at harnessing the core scientific strengths and infrastructure of South Africa and partners to advance the development of improved HIV prevention, testing, and therapeutic options in the country. Local manufacturing of interventions needs to be a key consideration to reduce the reliance on imports.

This RFA is seeking to fund collaborative projects between institutions in the target research areas rather than small, siloed projects. Wherever possible, investigators are therefore encouraged to collaborate to develop a single holistic response in each of the research areas. It is important to note that SHIP will prioritize projects with a clear product development focus. Projects will be supported for a duration of 2 years with research proposals focused on HIV in the areas as listed below:

HIV Cure and Treatment
  • Development of novel tools to target the HIV reservoir towards HIV cure
  • Therapeutic vaccines (T and B cell vaccines)
  • Tools that exploit host genetics to advance HIV cure strategies and develop targeted treatment strategies
  • Broadly neutralizing antibodies and other biologics for HIV treatment
  • Co-funding for innovative trial designs (e.g. leveraging AI) to support roll-out of new drugs (e.g. injectables) and existing drugs to new populations (e.g. pregnant women, neonates, paediatric population)
  • Innovative tools to improve patient retention in treatment (e.g. digital adherence tools)
  • Research to optimize treatment of co-morbidities (e.g. cervical and breast cancers and TB in HIV+ women). This may include small clinical trials to optimize dosing regimens.
  • Repurposing of existing drugs and development of technologies to fast-track drug development to Phase 1
Diagnosis
  • Biomarkers to support the development of ultra-sensitive diagnostic tests to detect new HIV infections (where viral loads are still very low) at the point-of-care
  • Innovative tools to shorten time to detect and respond to drug resistance
  • Tools to monitor treatment adherence
  • Validation of new HIV-related diagnostics in the SA context
  • Improvement of sample collection, analysis and workflows to support timely, accurate diagnosis
  • Localization of manufacturing of affordable tests
Prevention
  • Tools and strategies to improve uptake of and adherence to PrEP (e.g. optimize delivery systems)
  • Combination prevention strategies, including integration of STI management, and tailored prevention strategies for specific populations, informed by data-driven understanding of transmission networks
  • Advancing the development of broadly neutralizing antibodies for prevention
  • Novel HIV immunogens, vaccine vectors and delivery systems
Other
  • Preclinical models to support local testing of HIV tools
  • Innovative technologies to accelerate and reduce the costs of developing products into clinical validation

Funding Level

The total amount available for this RFA is approximately R 60,000,000, with successful proposals to be awarded for a maximum duration of 2 years. The number of projects selected, and the award value will depend on the number of qualifying proposals received and budget justifications.

Geography of interest

This is an open call for applications from researchers based at South African Public Universities and South African Public Research Entities, namely Science Councils, National Facilities, and other recognized research institutions. Principal Investigators must be South African citizens or permanent residence holders.

View or download the full request for applications.

All applications must be completed through the online SAMRC Application Portal. To complete your application and submit the required documents, please access the application portal via the following link: HIV Research and Innovation Request For Applications (RFA)

(Please click on the highlighted documents below to download templates)

Please direct any queries or requests for information on this RFA to: ship.rfps@mrc.ac.za

Applications received after the closing date and time will not be considered for funding.

Deadline

Wednesday, 30/04/2025 @16h00 SAST

samrc

 

Deadline
Wed, 30-04-2025 - 16:00