Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Alabama at Birmingham received a $496,628 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded February 18, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2031. This research project focuses on investigating the FC Receptor-Like (FCRL) gene family's mechanistic roles in B cell tolerance and malignancy, with particular emphasis on understanding FCRL1's function in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL). The research aims to address critical knowledge gaps regarding how B cells differentially regulate B cell receptor signaling under normal conditions versus activation states, identify factors that drive disease pathology and progression, and elucidate mechanisms underlying transformed B cell maintenance—ultimately revealing FCRL molecules' therapeutic potential as targets for immunotherapy resistance in B cell malignancies.

The project's deliverables include mechanistic research findings on FCRL regulation in B cell biology and disease pathology that will advance understanding of B lymphoproliferative disorders and inform development of novel therapeutic strategies to overcome emerging resistance to existing antibody-based and cellular immunotherapies. This investigator-initiated research contributes to NIAID's mission of supporting biomedical research addressing infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases through competitive peer-reviewed project grants supporting scientific merit and public health relevance.