Tuberculosis Research Advancement Centers (TRACs)

The Tuberculosis Research Advancement Centers (TRACs) program is a federal funding opportunity administered by the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. This program is designed to strengthen the national response to tuberculosis by investing in multidisciplinary research infrastructure and the development of future scientific leaders. Tuberculosis remains a major global and domestic public health concern, with increasing cases in the United States and persistent mortality worldwide. The TRACs initiative builds on prior investments to expand institutional capacity, foster collaboration, and accelerate innovation in tuberculosis and related mycobacterial research. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the establishment and operation of research centers that integrate basic, translational, and clinical tuberculosis research. These centers are expected to provide shared resources, services, and expertise that go beyond traditional grant funding. Each funded center must include an Administrative Core and a Developmental Core, along with at least two additional cores such as Basic Science, Clinical Science, or Specialty cores. These cores are intended to support a wide range of activities, including laboratory research, clinical data access, statistical analysis, and emerging technologies. The Developmental Core plays a key role in funding pilot projects and supporting new investigators entering the tuberculosis research field. Funding is provided through a P30 Center Core Grant mechanism, with application budgets not expected to exceed 600000 dollars in direct costs per year. The maximum project period is five years, allowing for sustained investment in infrastructure and workforce development. The program does not require cost sharing, although institutional commitment in the form of resources, space, or matching funds is strongly encouraged. Funds may be used for personnel, equipment, pilot projects, training activities, and administrative operations, but clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity. Eligibility is broad and includes public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities including small businesses, and various levels of government such as state, local, and tribal governments. However, foreign organizations and non-domestic components are not eligible to apply. Only one application per institution is permitted, and institutions may not participate in more than one application, including as a sub-award. Individuals serving as Program Directors or Principal Investigators must be affiliated with eligible organizations and meet NIH registration requirements, including eRA Commons and ORCID. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using systems such as NIH ASSIST or institutional system-to-system solutions. Applicants must follow the NIH Multi-Project application instructions and include required components such as an Overall section, Administrative Core, Developmental Core, and at least two additional cores. Applications are evaluated through NIH peer review based on criteria including significance, investigator qualifications, innovation, approach, and environment. Additional considerations include the effectiveness of the core structure and the ability to develop new investigators and strengthen tuberculosis research capacity. The application timeline begins with an earliest submission date of June 10, 2026, and a final application deadline of July 10, 2026. Applications are reviewed in November 2026, followed by advisory council review in January 2027, with the earliest project start date anticipated in March 2027. This funding opportunity does not indicate recurring cycles explicitly, and it has a defined expiration date of July 11, 2026. Applicants are encouraged to submit early to allow time for corrections. Contact for scientific inquiries is available via email at NIAIDTRACS@mail.nih.gov.

Align proposal with NIH review criteria including significance, innovation, and strong collaborative structure; demonstrate institutional commitment and clear core integration