Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) awarded a Project Grant of $624,837 to the Trustees of Indiana University (Indiana University Indianapolis) on February 15, 2026, under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866). The award funds scientific research investigating the role of the MR1/MAIT cell axis in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology and neuroinflammation. The project, which extends through January 31, 2031, seeks to advance understanding of how mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and MR1 (major histocompatibility complex class I-like molecule) expression contribute to AD development, leveraging preliminary findings demonstrating increased MR1 expression in AD patient brains and accelerated amyloid-beta plaque development in transgenic AD mouse models.

The research deliverables encompass biomedical investigation and analysis using established animal models and human tissue samples to characterize the MR1/MAIT cell axis mechanisms in neuroinflammation. Key research products include experimental data on MR1 expression patterns in brain microglia, quantitative analysis of MAIT cell populations in disease and control models, comparative neuropathological assessments of amyloid-beta plaque development, and mechanistic studies elucidating the role of the interleukin-17A inflammatory pathway in AD progression. These research outputs are intended to generate novel insights into innate immune contributions to AD that may inform future therapeutic intervention strategies targeting this immune axis.