Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Cincinnati's Sponsored Research Services Division received a $207,995 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective April 13, 2026, with an ultimate completion date of March 31, 2031. The award supports investigator-initiated biomedical research to advance understanding of mast cell activation and complement dysregulation mechanisms in eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE), a chronic food-induced allergic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 450,000 individuals in the United States with an annual healthcare burden of $1.4 billion.

The research initiative will investigate the pathobiological mechanisms by which mast cells contribute to EOE disease pathology, including epithelial dysfunction and fibrosis, through examination of complement component 3 (C3) cleavage products and the C3a receptor (C3AR1) signaling pathway. Specifically, the project will elucidate how elevated C3a levels in EOE patient esophageal tissues activate mast cells via C3AR1 overexpression, employing machine learning protocols, single-cell RNA sequencing, and translational research methodologies. These findings are intended to establish the scientific foundation for development of mast cell-targeted therapeutic interventions, addressing a clinical need identified through preliminary data demonstrating mast cells' superior association with EOE symptoms and histologic changes compared to eosinophils.