Texas NeuroAIDS Research Center

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Abstract This application is for supplemental bridge funding to maintain operation of the Texas NeuroAIDS Research Center (TNRC) for a brief period of time (U24MH10093010). This project recruits HIV positive patients, characterizes them medically and neuropsychologically, performs autopsies when appropriate, maintains a human specimen repository, and distributes specimens worldwide. The funding for fiscal year 5 of this cooperative agreement U24 was to end on February 28, 2023. As of this writing the program is operating on a no cost extension combined with a pending request for “carry forward” funds from prior years that has not yet been approved. The application for continued funding via contracting is under a review by the NIH. According to federal officials the decision regarding funding in the future will not be known for approximately six months from the end of the U24. That has created a “funding gap.” Following the advice of federal officials, we are applying for supplemental bridge funding to maintain normal operations until a decision on long term funds is issued by the NIH. We were advised to apply for funds that will allow operation through August 31, 2023, which amounts to roughly six months of normal operation from the time the U24 was to end. Our request for bridge funds for that period is calculated in a manner suggested by the NIH. We have subtracted from our request two sources of potentially available funds: 1) the balance that was available for an approved no cost extension, and 2) a separate amount corresponding to a pending request for carry forward of unspent funds from prior years. Assuming that these two requests are both approved and enacted by the NIH, we calculated an amount of additional funds necessary to operate through September 1, 2023. That amount is reflected in our budget request and its justification. Supplemental funding is requested to maintain operation until the long-term plan for funding the project become clear.