Tuberculosis Research Advancement Centers (TRACs)

Tuberculosis Research Advancement Centers (TRACs) — RFA-AI-27-016

Supports tuberculosis research centers through shared resources and interdisciplinary teams.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) issued RFA-AI-27-016 on May 4, 2026, to fund Tuberculosis Research Advancement Centers (TRACs) — a program designed to develop the next generation of tuberculosis researchers and catalyze multidisciplinary, innovative TB science by providing shared expertise and research infrastructure. Tuberculosis remains one of the leading infectious disease killers worldwide, with approximately 1.25 million deaths annually; in the United States, TB disproportionately affects foreign-born individuals and those with HIV co-infection. TRACs are intended to build sustained institutional capacity for basic and clinical TB research by supporting shared cores, training pipelines, and collaborative resources that individual R01 grants cannot sustain alone. The program is funded through NIAID Assistance Listing 93.855.

RFA-AI-27-016 employs the P30 Center Core Grant mechanism, which supports shared infrastructure, administrative coordination, and enrichment activities rather than direct individual research projects. The total program pool is $4,000,000, anticipated to fund five awards at a maximum of $600,000 per award. The single deadline is July 10, 2026. Clinical trials are not allowed. Notably, this NOFO imposes a stricter foreign-participation rule than most NIAID solicitations: foreign organizations are ineligible and foreign components within otherwise eligible US applications are also explicitly prohibited. Eligible applicants include US universities, research organizations, nonprofits, government entities, and for-profit organizations.

Successful TRACs applicants will demonstrate existing concentrations of TB research expertise and a credible plan for building the next cohort of TB investigators. The P30 mechanism is competitive and score-sensitive; NIAID expects to fund only five centers from a $4M pool, meaning mean award size is approximately $800,000 per cycle. Applications should emphasize researcher development activities, shared scientific resources, and synergies with existing TB research programs at the applying institution. Contact: NIAIDTRACS@mail.nih.gov. The archive date is September 8, 2026.