Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Baylor College of Medicine received a $167,165 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), effective July 2, 2026 through March 31, 2031. The award funds a comprehensive five-year training and research program investigating molecular mechanisms of T cell dysfunction in pediatric chronic cholestatic liver diseases (CSLD), which represent the leading indication for liver transplantation in children. The research will examine how bile acid accumulation in circulation impairs immune function and increases infectious susceptibility in affected children, both pre- and post-transplantation.

The project deliverables include scientific research evaluating the relationship between T cell functional deficits, viral infection severity, and cholestasis progression in pediatric patients and murine models of CSLD, as well as mechanistic studies determining how bile acids regulate T cell signaling through nuclear receptor pathways. The investigator will utilize peripheral blood and plasma samples from children undergoing liver transplant, established mouse models of cholestasis, and in vitro cell culture systems to generate findings expected to uncover novel mechanisms underlying cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction (CAID) in the pediatric population and identify potential therapeutic intervention points.