Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded Boston Children's Hospital a Project Grant of $800,557 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) effective February 19, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2031. This grant supports investigator-initiated biomedical research focused on understanding how the gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus manipulates inflammasome activities critical to host defense mechanisms. The research project will identify the molecular mechanisms by which toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains of S. aureus—including the USA300 strain responsible for over 97% of skin infections in the United States—activate the AIM2 inflammasome pathway, with particular emphasis on the competing enzymatic activities of TARM and OatA in modifying peptidoglycan structures.

The research deliverables will advance scientific understanding of S. aureus pathogenesis and immune evasion strategies, with implications for vaccine development and therapeutic intervention strategies. Given the rising prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains and the absence of an effective vaccine, this investigation addresses critical gaps in understanding difficult-to-treat infections including persistent bacteremia, endocarditis, and cystic fibrosis-associated pneumonia. The five-year project period will enable comprehensive mechanistic studies conducted at Boston Children's Hospital's research facilities in Boston, Massachusetts, contributing to broader public health objectives under NIAID's infectious disease research portfolio.