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NIH grant 3C06OD034041-01S2: Supplemental NAM Equipment-Funding Request to C06 Award No. 1C06OD034041
Institute: {'code': 'OD', 'abbreviation': 'OD', 'name': 'NIH Office of the Director', 'admin_org_id': '12500055', 'admin_funding_url': ''}. PI: Brian O'Shea. Award: $30246.
Start: 2026-09-18T00:00:00.
Abstract
The New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette has
experienced remarkable growth over the past decade, with annual research expenditures
increasing from approximately $19 million in FY2016 to more than $75 million in FY2025.
This sustained expansion reflects NIRC's growing role as a premier biomedical research
institution and coincides with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's designation as an
R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification.
To support continued growth, NIRC has completed the demolition and certified asbestos
abatement of approximately 9,100 square feet on the third floor of Building 29. This newly
renovated space provides an exceptional opportunity to establish a modern research
environment capable of supporting up to six multidisciplinary research teams through a
combination of open collaborative laboratories and dedicated investigator space.
The proposed laboratory expansion will serve as the foundation for a next-generation HIV
research programs focused on the development and application of New Approach
Methodologies (NAMs). These innovative approaches will leverage advanced human-
relevant in vitro systems, computational modeling, high-content imaging, organoid
technologies, microphysiological systems, multi-omics platforms, and artificial
intelligence–enabled data analytics to investigate HIV pathogenesis, viral persistence,
therapeutic discovery, and strategies to achieve durable viral remission or cure. By
integrating cutting-edge technologies with translational research, NIRC will accelerate the
development of innovative interventions while reducing reliance on traditional
experimental models.
The new laboratory space will provide the infrastructure necessary to recruit outstanding
investigators, expand interdisciplinary collaborations, and establish a nationally
recognized center of excellence for HIV NAM research. The proposed facility will foster
partnerships across academia, government, and industry while strengthening NIRC's
competitiveness for large multidisciplinary federal funding opportunities from agencies
including the National Institutes of Health.
Investment in this laboratory expansion will create a critical mass of investigators
dedicated to advancing transformative HIV research through innovative, human-relevant
methodologies. By providing state-of-the-art research space specifically designed for
New Approach Methodologies, NIRC will significantly enhance its capacity to develop
novel therapeutic and preventive strategies for HIV while positioning the Center as a
national leader in the next generation of biomedical research.document fetched 2026-09-27 02:45