CEIRR Pilot Research Program

CIDER: 

• Experimental and computational approaches for prediction of potential pathogen emergence and risk, as well as assessment of novel, potentially pandemic viruses

CRIPT:

• Host and virus factors responsible for severity of disease, virus tropism, immunity and transmission
• Rapid acquisition of virus variants circulating in humans and domestic animals from different geographical areas

Emory-CEIRR:

• Human-Animal Interface/Risk Assessment
• Human studies focused on virology, immunology, or pathogenesis of influenza virus infection
• Viral evolution leading to antigenic change or host range expansion
• Viral pathogenesis, including virus-host interactions
• Wild animal surveillance

JH-CEIRR:

• Studies that characterize seasonal and pandemic influenza A and B viruses (including H5N1 and swine IAVs), including research of viral pathogenesis and the impact of viral evolution on replication and antigenic structure
• Investigation of acute human influenza infections, including studies to (a) develop and evaluate new assays (e.g. single/multiplex platforms and next generation sequencing); (b) explore biologic markers associated with disease severity; and (c) examine the relationships between age and sex in influenza infections
• Research exploring influenza transmission within households, healthcare workers, and at the human-animal interface
• Studies focused on structural immunology or the role of immune cell subsets in age and sex dependent immune responses to infection or vaccination

Penn-CEIRR:

• Studies that improve our understanding of how childhood viral exposures and vaccines impact lifelong immunity
• Studies that identify vaccines platforms and therapeutics that could be used during an influenza pandemic
• Establishment of surveillance sites to characterize influenza viruses at the human-animal interface
• Structural studies evaluating binding footprints of novel anti-influenza virus antibodies 

SJCEIRR:

• Studies exploring the factors controlling transmission of influenza viruses, particularly in animal models
• Studies exploring the natural history of influenza viruses in animal populations in under surveilled regions of the world
• Fundamental biology studies exploring novel mechanisms of pathogenesis, including factors controlling reassortment, or improved methods to assess zoonotic risk of influenza viruses

The deadline for submission is Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 11:59pm EST. 

Investigators not currently part of the CEIRR Network may submit concepts via this portal. Investigators already part of CEIRR should work internally with their CEIRR Center PI and Coordinator for potential concept development.  

All Concept Proposals must track to a research priority listed above and fit under the currently funded CEIRR contracts. Note that concepts proposing clinical trials will NOT be supported through this mechanism.

Concepts should be developed using the CEIRR Pilot Program Research Concept form and should be limited to a total 7 pages. Submitters may choose to submit a separate NIH Biosketch document in place of the biosketch section of the submission form. For more details, please refer to the instructions in the submission form. Submissions are limited to a single Concept per lead investigator. If multiple submissions are received from the same lead PI, only the first submission will be considered.

Submissions are limited to a single Concept per lead investigator. If multiple submissions are received from the same lead PI, only the first submission will be considered.

Please whitelist emails from "*@ceirr-network.org" in your email settings to ensure delivery of application receipts and decision emails.

Concepts must be submitted with budgets listed as TOTAL COSTS. Concept budgets cannot exceed $600,000 in total costs over two years. Final indirect rates will be negotiated before an award is made.

Concepts that exceed the budget cap may be considered on a limited, case-by-case basis.  To submit a concept that exceeds the budget cap you must first contact one of the Centers listed below directly to discuss budget potential and programmatic fit based on the priorities listed in the Current Research Priorities section.  Concepts that exceed the budget cap that are submitted without prior consultation/approval will be rejected without consideration. 

CRIPT: Ryan Camping (ryan.camping@mssm.edu) 

JH-CEIRR: Dr. Katherine Fenstermacher (kfenste1@jhu.edu)

CIDER: Jacquelyn Hughes (cider-admin@uga.edu)

Penn-CEIRR: Dr. Elizabeth Drapeau (Elizabeth.Troisi@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu)

Emory CEIRR: Erin-Joi Collins (emcneal@emory.edu)

SJCEIRR: Dr. Pamela McKenzie (Pamela.McKenzie@STJUDE.ORG)

The following costs are unallowable unless otherwise provided: 

• Conferences and Meetings
• Food for Meals, Light Refreshments, and Beverages
• Promotional Items [includes, but is not limited to: clothing and commemorative items such as pens,  mugs/cups, folders/folios, lanyards, and conference bags that are sometimes provided to visitors, employees, grantees, or conference attendees.]
• Acquisition, by purchase or lease, of any interest in real property;
• Special rearrangement or alteration of facilities;
• Purchase or lease of any item of general purpose office furniture or office equipment regardless of dollar value. (General purpose equipment is defined as any items of personal property which are usable for purposes other than research, such as office equipment and furnishings, pocket calculators, etc.);
• Travel to attend general scientific meetings;
• Foreign travel;
• Consultant costs;
• Subcontracts;
• Patient care costs;
• Accountable Government Property (defined as non-expendable personal property with an acquisition cost of $1,000 or more) and "sensitive items" (defined as items of personal property (supplies and equipment that are highly desirable and easily converted to personal use), regardless of acquisition value.
• Printing Costs (as defined in the Government Printing and Binding Regulations).

Concept Proposals received will be forwarded to the individual CEIRR Centers for consideration. Concepts will be evaluated by the CEIRR Center Scientific Leadership Groups for submission to NIAID for funding consideration. If selected for submission to NIAID, submitters will be contacted directly by a CEIRR Center Investigator. Review comments or other feedback on concept submissions will not be provided.