Zika Virus (ZIKV) Complications (NIH, R21)

The purpose of this funding is to provide support for research on Zika virus (ZIKV) and its complications.
The R21 activity code is intended to encourage new exploratory and developmental research projects. These studies may involve considerable risk but may lead to a breakthrough in a particular area, or to the development of novel techniques, agents, methodologies, models, or applications that could have a major impact on a field of biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research.

Areas of high priority include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Demonstrate the causative role of infection in pregnancy with ZIKV in the etiology of fetal microcephaly, structural brain defects, and other congenital malformations
• Basic research to understand the ZIKV infection pathogenesis and transmission to the fetus, whether in-utero, postpartum, or breastfeeding
• Population-based studies to characterize the epidemiology of ZIKV infection in the mother-infant dyad
• Clinical studies to improve the understanding of the mechanisms and risks of maternal-to-child transmission of ZIKV
• Determine the timeline for when and how women transmit ZIKV to the fetus
• Strategies to prevent transmission of ZIKV to the fetus after infection in the mother
• Studies to determine the optimal screening for and management of ZIKV infection in pregnant women and in exposed fetuses
• Studies to understand the mechanisms by which ZIKV affects the developing nervous system and other organ systems
• Studies to characterize the association of ZIKA virus infection with ocular phenotypes
• Research to develop lab-based or point-of-care diagnosis for ZIKV using saliva as a biofluid
• Studies to characterize the outcome of viral infection on craniofacial skeletal and dental phenotype with or without microcephaly
• Studies to understand pregnancy outcomes in women infected with ZIKV
• Studies to identify sequelae in infants infected with ZIKV as well as potential sequelae in exposed but uninfected infants
• Strategies to identify neurologic and other manifestations in infants with and without microcephaly such as developmental delays and other neurologic or physical disorders
• Studies to assess and characterize the natural history and long-term neurodevelopmental consequences of ZIKV infection in children
• Strategies to identify effective treatments for exposed infants with and without microcephaly as they develop into childhood.  Such strategies must take into account cultural acceptance and resources.
• Investigations of mediating and moderating factors affecting variability in neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and socio-emotional impact of ZIKV exposure on infants prenatally and postnatally
• Develop novel, simple, feasible and cost-effective testing methods and/or strategies for infection screening during pregnancy
• Develop novel, simple, rapid, feasible and cost effective testing methods and/or strategies for infection screening in the infant
• Develop culturally sensitive strategies to increase knowledge about the relative efficacy of contraceptive methods, and use that knowledge to plan for pregnancy
• Strategies to integrate the discussion of risk of ZIKV infection into contraceptive counseling and pre-pregnancy and prenatal care at medical facilities in ZIKV endemic areas
• Determine long-term implications of ZIKV infection in non-pregnant women and men including impact on fertility and subsequent pregnancy
• Studies to ascertain if ZIKV is present in reproductive fluids such as semen, cervical mucus, vaginal secretions and/or follicular fluid; persistence of ZIKV in these fluids; and the mechanisms by which ZIKV enters the reproductive tract Studies to understand ZIKV infection in the testis
• Studies to understand ZIKV infection in the testis
• Studies on effects of ZIKV on in vitro fertilization
• Studies on whether ZIKV can be transmitted by direct sexual contact or artificial reproductive technology procedures
• Once causality is demonstrated, studies on vaccine development in pregnant women and children
• Once causality is demonstrated, development of methods to explain risk of ZIKV infection and  
• risk of harm to the fetus to pregnant women and women who are planning to become pregnant.
• Basic research to understand ZIKV infection, replication, pathogenesis, transmission, immune
• responses and immunological interactions with other flaviviruses
• Studies on the evolution and emergence of ZIKV including the identification of factors that affect
• host-range and virulence
• Natural history studies of ZIKV in mosquitos, non-human primates and humans, with particular
• emphasis on hosts(s) reservoirs and cross-species transmission
• Basic research on the biology of the mosquito vectors, vector competence studies for replication
• and transmission of ZIKV, host-virus interaction and studies on novel vector control methods
• Development of novel diagnostic, vaccine and therapeutic strategies against Zika
• Characterization of the prevalence of the virus among blood donors in different geographical regions
• Studies of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), encephalitis or encephalomyelitis associated with ZIKV infection to determine disease course and outcomes, causality, disease mechanisms, effectiveness of current treatments and to develop novel treatments
• Studies to understand the effects of ZIKV infection on the development of epilepsy and its sequelae
• Studies related to both the short and long-term effects of Zika virus infection on hearing.

Eligibility: Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply.

Budget: Direct costs are limited to $275,000 over the two-year period, with no more than $200,000 in direct costs allowed in any single year.   

Duration: The maximum project period is 2 years.

Deadline: October 16 2017

Full details: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-17-085.html