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Joe Watabe, MS
CFAR Developmental Core Manager
Spring 2026 funding cycle: Applications available until Monday, March 2nd, 2pm PT.
- Call opens: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
- Deadline: Monday, March 2, 2026 (2:00 pm PST)
- Funding results: Available before end of June 2026
Amount available: $50,000 in direct costs for 1 year
Apply through the UCSF Resource Allocation Program (RAP) portal
The CFAR Mentored Scientist Award (our primary award program) is a mentoring and training grant targeted toward early stage (either at a senior stage of clinical or postdoctoral training or junior faculty) investigators at UCSF or affiliated partner institutes in the conduct of an HIV research project. These awards are designed to acquire preliminary data and research skills to prepare investigators for a future grant effort. Applicants for this award must indicate a faculty research mentor(s) who will commit to guiding the applicant throughout the duration of the proposed project.
Designation of Mentor
All Mentored award applications from individuals at the Assistant Professor level or below require an HIV research mentor. Mentors can, but are not required to, have supervisory authority over the applicant. CFAR requires your research mentor’s support to advise and guide the research portion of your application before submitting it to RAP.
Of high interest to CFAR are investigations ranging from basic pathogenesis to clinical outcomes in the research areas of HIV/aging and inflammation, latency, cure, vaccines, co-infections, HIV in women, implementation science, and research related to HIV-infected and HIV-impacted Bay Area populations. Projects must be within NIH’s HIV/AIDS research high or medium priority areas. Projects in closely related areas (e.g. TB, HCV, drug use, etc.) must be clearly linked to HIV in order to be eligible for CFAR funding.
The award amount is $50,000 in direct costs for one year.
CFAR requests that applicants review the NIAID HIV Language Guide as they prepare their proposals so that they can follow best practices on language for communicating respectfully about HIV and related topics, including the use of person-first, non-stigmatizing language. Please contact us if you have any questions about this request.
For more detailed information about this RFA, please see the RAP Portal.
To see examples of previously funded projects, see the list below.
Mentored Science Awardees
135 Awards
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Development of novel scales to measure HIV-specific social support for safer conception and male involvement in safer conception approaches for the prevention of HIV
Development of novel scales to measure HIV-specific social support for safer conception and male involvement in safer conception approaches for the prevention of HIV
Abstract
Social support and male involvement are critical factors in the use of safer conception (SC) methods and services and continued engagement across the peri-partum continuum of care. Yet, to our knowledge, no scales have yet been developed at the individual or couple-level to assess social support for SC uptake or male involvement in SC. We propose to adapt 2 scales: the Social Provisions Scale and the Male Partner Involvement Scale.
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Development of novel scales to measure HIV-specific social support for safer conception and male involvement in safer conception approaches for the prevention of HIV
Development of novel scales to measure HIV-specific social support for safer conception and male involvement in safer conception approaches for the prevention of HIV
Abstract
Social support and male involvement are critical factors in the use of safer conception (SC) methods and services and continued engagement across the peri-partum continuum of care. Yet, to our knowledge, no scales have yet been developed at the individual or couple-level to assess social support for SC uptake or male involvement in SC. We propose to adapt 2 scales: the Social Provisions Scale and the Male Partner Involvement Scale.
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Cardiovascular Mechanisms of Post-Acute Sequalae of COVID-19 Among People Living with HIV
Cardiovascular Mechanisms of Post-Acute Sequalae of COVID-19 Among People Living with HIV
Abstract
People living with HIV (PLWH) have excess cardiovascular risk, and SARS-CoV-2 coinfection may further increase cardiovascular risk but has not yet been studied. In this proposal we plan to leverage the Long-term Impact of Infection with Novel Coronavirus (LIINC) study, a UCSF-run, longitudinal cohort of COVID-19 survivors, and will perform cardiopulmonary exercise testing among people with HIV and COVID-19.
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Cardiovascular Mechanisms of Post-Acute Sequalae of COVID-19 Among People Living with HIV
Cardiovascular Mechanisms of Post-Acute Sequalae of COVID-19 Among People Living with HIV
Abstract
People living with HIV (PLWH) have excess cardiovascular risk, and SARS-CoV-2 coinfection may further increase cardiovascular risk but has not yet been studied. In this proposal we plan to leverage the Long-term Impact of Infection with Novel Coronavirus (LIINC) study, a UCSF-run, longitudinal cohort of COVID-19 survivors, and will perform cardiopulmonary exercise testing among people with HIV and COVID-19.
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Evaluating the magnitude and durability of the vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 immune response in people with and without HIV infection
Evaluating the magnitude and durability of the vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 immune response in people with and without HIV infection
Abstract
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Evaluating the magnitude and durability of the vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 immune response in people with and without HIV infection
Evaluating the magnitude and durability of the vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 immune response in people with and without HIV infection
Abstract
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Relationship between Kynurenine Pathway and TB-specific Th17 responses in People with HIV and Latent Tuberculosis Infection
Relationship between Kynurenine Pathway and TB-specific Th17 responses in People with HIV and Latent Tuberculosis Infection
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death among people with HIV (PWH) globally and even among those with high CD4 counts during ART-mediated viral suppression. Evidence from animal studies indicate that interleukin (IL)-17 producing T cells (TH17) are likely beneficial in host immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. TH17 cells are also important in HIV infection as loss of TH17 cells likely contributes to progression to AIDS through breakdown in mucosal immunity.
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Relationship between Kynurenine Pathway and TB-specific Th17 responses in People with HIV and Latent Tuberculosis Infection
Relationship between Kynurenine Pathway and TB-specific Th17 responses in People with HIV and Latent Tuberculosis Infection
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death among people with HIV (PWH) globally and even among those with high CD4 counts during ART-mediated viral suppression. Evidence from animal studies indicate that interleukin (IL)-17 producing T cells (TH17) are likely beneficial in host immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. TH17 cells are also important in HIV infection as loss of TH17 cells likely contributes to progression to AIDS through breakdown in mucosal immunity.
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Targeting Viral Reservoirs through PET-Informed Dosing of Curative Agents
Targeting Viral Reservoirs through PET-Informed Dosing of Curative Agents
Abstract
Development of robust and validated methods to quantify tissue-specific drug exposure and the size of the HIV reservoir remains a critical challenge to inform strategies towards HIV cure. This proposal leverages three positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance (PET-MR) imaging clinical studies of radiolabeled raltegravir (RAL), broadly neutralizing antibody VRC01, and a non-specific marker of T cell activation (F-AraG) that allow us to visualize:
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Targeting Viral Reservoirs through PET-Informed Dosing of Curative Agents
Targeting Viral Reservoirs through PET-Informed Dosing of Curative Agents
Abstract
Development of robust and validated methods to quantify tissue-specific drug exposure and the size of the HIV reservoir remains a critical challenge to inform strategies towards HIV cure. This proposal leverages three positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance (PET-MR) imaging clinical studies of radiolabeled raltegravir (RAL), broadly neutralizing antibody VRC01, and a non-specific marker of T cell activation (F-AraG) that allow us to visualize: