In order to promote collaborations between the NIH intramural scientists of the United States and the co-investigators in Indian research institutions, India and the United States will soon begin the NIH Intramural-to-India (I-to-I) programme under the US-India collaboration on prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.

The I-to-I programme was launched in fiscal year 2007 to support one year pilot projects from NIH intramural scientists to enhance existing or initiate collaborative research projects with investigators in Indian research institutions. Recognizing NIH’s broad intramural expertise in HIV/AIDS research, the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR) piloted the NIH Intramural-to-India (I-to-I) programme to promote collaborations between NIH intramural scientists and co-investigators in Indian research institutions.

For this purpose, the then Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare and US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) way back in June 2006 had signed a Joint Statement for collaboration on prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS to promote cooperative research and research training focused on HIV/AIDS.

The Joint Statement calls for the development of strategic plans for collaboration and to facilitate the expedited review and clearance of proposed bilateral projects. Both the US and India have earmarked funds to support joint research and training activities pursued under this programme. The US agency identified to implement activities under this programme is the HHS National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Indian agencies are the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Dept. of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology.

Specific areas of interest include Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS Co-morbidities; Behavioural and Social Sciences; Epidemiology (Behavioural and Population); Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Drug Use and Abuse; and Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (MTCT).

Indian investigators who are currently collaborating with an NIH Intramural Scientist or one who would like to develop a new collaboration with an investigator from NIH are eligible to participate in the programme.