Federal Grant Award Summary

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) received a $112,256 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded April 22, 2026, with completion targeted for March 31, 2027. The research investigates the epigenetic basis of monocyte exhaustion memory following sepsis, addressing a critical public health challenge wherein sepsis survivors experience prolonged immune dysfunction. The project delivers scientific research and analysis designed to characterize the transcriptional and epigenetic features of monocyte exhaustion, model how immune stressor characteristics influence innate memory states, and identify therapeutic strategies targeting DNA methylation pathways to restore healthy immune function in sepsis survivors.

The research encompasses three primary aims: profiling unique transcriptional and epigenetic features of exhausted monocytes through integrative modeling; testing the hypothesis that TET2 (ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 2) inhibition drives epigenetic changes in exhaustion and evaluating TET agonists as a therapeutic approach; and examining a novel DNMT3L isoform identified in septic monocytes to understand altered chromatin regulation. This investigator-initiated biomedical research contributes to the broader scientific understanding of infectious disease mechanisms and generates foundational knowledge toward developing therapeutic interventions for sepsis-associated immune dysfunction.