Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded a $201,744 Project Grant on June 4, 2026, to The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855). This five-year research initiative, scheduled for completion by May 31, 2031, will advance understanding of thymic T cell tolerance mechanisms relevant to autoimmune disease diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Nielsen's research program will investigate the distinct roles of nuclear receptor subfamily 4 (NR4A) transcription factors—specifically NR4A1 and NR4A3—in regulating T cell receptor (TCR) signaling and thymocyte selection processes that eliminate self-reactive T cells.

The research deliverables encompass three integrated aims: characterization of TCR tuning and NR4A protein function in human thymocytes using biochemical assays and genetic mouse models; analysis of the thymic TCR repertoire through high-resolution TCR sequencing and unbiased auto-antibody profiling; and decoding of transcriptional networks linking NR4A proteins to T cell tolerance outcomes via single-cell transcriptomics. These research products will establish fundamental scientific knowledge regarding molecular mechanisms governing central tolerance and inform future therapeutic strategies for autoimmune disease management and prevention.