Project Grant F31AI194791

Grant Award Summary

Albert Einstein College of Medicine received a $100,228 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded December 8, 2026, with completion targeted for March 31, 2028. This research initiative, titled "Deciphering the Mechanisms That Regulate Neutrophil Recruitment and Function in Polytraumatic Injury," delivers basic biomedical research services focused on understanding immune response dysregulation following multiple concurrent injuries. The project employs transgenic zebrafish models with fluorescently tagged neutrophils to visualize and track neutrophil recruitment and function at the single-cell level in polytraumatic injury contexts, advancing understanding of how immune dysfunction—particularly in patients with pre-existing metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity—contributes to secondary complications including nosocomial infections, impaired wound healing, and multi-organ dysfunction.

The research deliverables include mechanistic data on neutrophil signaling pathways in response to damage-associated molecular patterns (ATP, calcium), comparative analysis of neutrophil recruitment patterns between single and polytraumatic injury models, and foundational knowledge applicable to improving clinical outcomes for trauma patients at high immunological risk. Research is conducted at the institution's Bronx, New York location and aligns with NIAID's broader portfolio supporting innovative infectious disease and immunological research that addresses urgent public health challenges.