Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems awarded a CAREER grant totaling $574,462 to the University of Washington, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2031, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041). The project develops synthetic microbiome mimics—tunable nanoparticles engineered to deliver bacterial products and outer membrane vesicles—enabling controlled, cause-and-effect studies of microbe-host interactions in the human gut. The primary products include modular polymer nanoparticles capable of releasing distinct bacterial metabolites and vesicle-coated formulations designed to isolate individual signaling mechanisms, along with integrated computational models predicting nanoparticle distribution and efficacy. Research outputs will delineate how bacterial structural cues and metabolites influence gut barrier integrity and immune regulation at distal gut sites.

Complementing the core research deliverables, the award funds educational and outreach products including new course modules in microbiome and immune engineering, interdisciplinary faculty workshops, and mentored summer research experiences for K-12 students through partnerships with the University of Washington Engineering Academy and the UW Microbiome Interactions and Microbiome Center. These educational components align with NSF's emphasis on integrated research and workforce development, positioning the project to advance both scientific understanding of microbiome-host signaling and prepare the next generation of engineers in biomedical and microbial engineering disciplines.