Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded $159,764.00 to the University of Maryland, Baltimore under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on June 1, 2026, for a five-year research project extending through May 31, 2031. This Project Grant supports investigator-initiated biomedical research aimed at identifying mucosal immune and microbiome markers associated with susceptibility to Shigella infection in children under five years of age in low- and middle-income countries. The research deliverables include characterization of mucosal immune profiles, microbiome composition analysis, and stool immune marker assessment in pediatric cohorts, with examination of age-related differences across three age groups (0-11, 12-23, and 24-59 months) using samples from the multi-site Vaccine Impact on Diarrhea in Africa (VIDA) study.

The project is designed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms contributing to severe Shigella-induced diarrheal disease progression in children by analyzing the relationship between pathogen burden, microbiome composition, immune response, and disease severity. Primary research outputs will advance understanding of how gastrointestinal immune function and microbial communities influence susceptibility to infection and inform future vaccine and therapeutic development strategies targeting this significant infectious disease threat in vulnerable pediatric populations.