Collaborative Development Program

2024 Request for Applications

Background

The Behavior of HIV in Viral Environments (B-HIVE) Center is a multi-institute research consortium led by Bruce Torbett (University of Washington) and Stefan Sarafianos (Emory University). The B-HIVE Center integrates the efforts of 31 research groups representing leaders in the field of HIV virology, with emphasis in structural, computational, and biophysical approaches. Our goal is high-resolution characterization of the structural and dynamic relationships among interacting macromolecules in the HIV life cycle.

The B-HIVE Center has been formed to further the understanding of HIV-1 and HIV-1/cellular host factor macromolecular interactions within distinct cellular environments, which shape the HIV replication cycle. With the limited size of HIV’s RNA genome, it is no surprise that many of the same gene products end up performing different functions in different environments at different times during replication. We focus on the structural and biophysical dynamics of HIV-1 capsid (CA) in its many forms with interacting host and viral partners at distinct stages of the viral lifecycle: viral ingress, nuclear trafficking, integration, and packaging and assembly.

Some of the specific features of the HIV life cycle that remain incompletely characterized from a functional and structural vantage point that we wish to address, include: 1) HIV-1 core interactions with host factors and inhibitors from cytoplasm to nucleus; 2) Structural dynamics of HIV-1 nuclear trafficking, integration, and transition to transcription; and 3) The dynamics of HIV-1 packaging and assembly.

The B-HIVE Center is currently seeking collaborators, at an early stage in their career and/or new to HIV research, to join us in working to characterize and understand the structural and dynamic viral-host interactions of HIV proteins and host factors that affect viral function. We will accept proposals for review from eligible applicants that contribute complementary methods.  Some examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Chromosome conformation capture methods applied to HIV
  • AI for viral structure determination and application to modeling of viral states
  • Single cell interrogation of virally infected cells to determine chromatin (ATACseq, etc) / nucleic acid changes, and/or protein changes at the single cell level (proteomics)
  • Mass photometry methods applied to HIV
  • Single molecule technologies for studying protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions
  • New structural approaches, software development

Intent-to-Submit and Application

Interested applicants are required to contact a B-HIVE Center member to discuss and sponsor their application, before beginning the application process. Not all projects are suitable since we don’t want to duplicate existing B-HIVE efforts. Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the B-HIVE Center website (http://www.hivecenter.net/team/) for an updated list of currently active members of the Center and their areas of research, contact information, as well as other information relevant to the B-HIVE Center.

If interested in applying, please prepare a 1-2 page intent-to-submit letter containing the following information:

  1. Applicant information (including name, job title, affiliation, address, phone number, and email)
  2. Proposal title
  3. Name(s) of proposed B-HIVE Center mentor(s)
  4. A brief summary of the proposed work and how it will contribute to the B-HIVE Center’s research objectives.
  5. Other support document, including current and pending support.

The intent-to-submit letter should be submitted electronically as a PDF file to Karen Kirby at karen.kirby@emory.edu, Christian Gallardo at christian.gallardo@seattlechildrens.org, Stefan Sarafianos at ssarafi@emory.edu and Bruce Torbett at betorbet@uw.edu

Project scope and PI eligibility must be evaluated and approved prior to submission of a full proposal. Required forms and detailed instructions for full proposals will be provided to applicants after intent-to-submit approval.

Funding: Grants of approximately $108,000 (total costs) will be awarded for one or two years, with the second-year contingent upon progress and collaborative engagement with the B-HIVE Center.

Eligibility: Early-stage HIV-1 investigators are preferred, and established investigators new to HIV research will be considered. Applicants must currently be employed in a position eligible to apply for NIH funding (faculty position or equivalent). Women, minorities, veterans, and disabled persons are also strongly encouraged to apply.

The deadline for submission of full proposals is midnight (EST), March 1, 2024.

Questions: Questions about the application and review processes should be directed to Karen Kirby at karen.kirby@emory.edu, Christian Gallardo at christian.gallardo@seattlechildrens.org, Stefan Sarafianos at ssarafi@emory.edu and Bruce Torbett at  betorbet@uw.edu.