Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Virginia received a $773,388 Project Grant Award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031. This investigator-initiated research award supports a five-year biomedical research initiative titled "Decoding Cellular Networks Governing Respiratory Mucosal IgA Immunity." The project addresses a critical knowledge gap in understanding the mechanisms that drive robust respiratory mucosal immunity, specifically immunoglobulin A (IgA) responses following infection or vaccination, with direct applications to developing enhanced mucosal protection strategies against respiratory viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The research deliverables are structured around three specific aims: identifying mechanisms by which respiratory CD4+ T cells promote IgA production in situ; elucidating transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ)-dependent macrophage and B cell interactions in mucosal IgA production; and defining molecular and functional signatures of mucosal cross-reactive IgA-producing B cells. The anticipated products include scientific insights and methodological advances that will inform the development of next-generation mucosal vaccines designed to provide enhanced public health prevention strategies against respiratory pathogens. Research will be conducted at the University of Virginia's facilities in Charlottesville, Virginia.