Pulmonary Outcomes and Sequelae after Treatment-TB (POST-TB) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 23 148

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 148

The Pulmonary Outcomes and Sequelae after Treatment-TB (POST-TB) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) funding opportunity (PAR-23-148) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to build stronger evidence about what happens to people after they complete tuberculosis (TB) treatment, with a particular focus on longer-term heart and lung problems. The core idea is that finishing TB therapy does not always mean a full return to health, and many individuals experience ongoing or delayed cardiopulmonary complications and reduced quality of life. This FOA supports epidemiological and observational research that can better measure, describe, and explain those post-treatment outcomes so the field can move toward clearer definitions of post-TB morbidity, improved follow-up care, and more targeted interventions.

A central feature of the announcement is its emphasis on leveraging existing cohorts rather than starting entirely new ones. Applicants are expected to propose additional testing, enhanced follow-up, and new data collection within cohorts of adult and/or pediatric participants who have had TB disease. In practical terms, that means adding deeper phenotyping, strengthening longitudinal outcome tracking, or introducing new clinical assessments in groups that are already being followed. The research focus is explicitly on long-term sequelae after TB treatment, especially cardiopulmonary outcomes, and the FOA highlights the importance of understanding these adverse outcomes in people with and without HIV infection. This inclusion matters because HIV can change TB disease severity, recovery trajectories, and the risk profile for chronic lung and cardiovascular problems, so studies that can compare or stratify by HIV status can help clarify mechanisms and identify groups at higher risk.

Because the mechanism is an R01, the program is geared toward substantial, hypothesis-driven projects with enough scope to produce rigorous and generalizable findings. At the same time, the FOA frames the work as epidemiological and observational, meaning the primary intent is not necessarily to test a new therapeutic intervention, but to characterize disease burden, patterns of morbidity, risk factors, and trajectories over time. The label "Clinical Trial Optional" signals that a clinical trial is not required for this opportunity, and applicants can remain fully within observational designs; however, if a project includes elements that meet the definition of a clinical trial, it is not automatically disqualified, provided it aligns with the FOA and NIH policies.

Eligible applicants are broad and include many types of U.S. organizations and governments: state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments that are federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The FOA also allows nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, along with other eligible entities. In addition to these standard NIH eligibility categories, the announcement specifically calls out a range of other eligible applicants that NIH often encourages to broaden participation and strengthen community relevance, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and non-U.S. (foreign) organizations. The inclusion of foreign organizations is particularly relevant for TB research because a large share of TB burden occurs outside the United States, and established international cohorts can be critical for studying post-TB outcomes at scale and across diverse settings.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is listed under CFDA (Assistance Listing) 93.855 and is categorized under the health funding activity area. The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-23-148, with the opportunity created on March 30, 2023. The original closing date shown is May 7, 2026. While the public summary does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards, the intent is clearly to support multiple investigator-initiated projects that can add meaningful new information to existing TB cohorts and help the field understand the longer-term cardiopulmonary burden that persists after microbiologic cure.

Overall, this FOA is aimed at strengthening the evidence base around post-TB cardiopulmonary health by encouraging investigators to take advantage of existing TB cohorts, add targeted assessments, and generate high-quality observational data. The long-term payoff is better identification of who is at risk for chronic complications after TB treatment, clearer clinical characterization of post-TB sequelae, and a stronger foundation for future prevention strategies, clinical guidelines, and intervention studies.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pulmonary Outcomes and Sequelae after Treatment-TB (POST-TB) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-03-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 23 148

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