Federal Grant Award Summary

Texas A&M University System Health Science Center received a $467,354 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded June 12, 2026, with completion anticipated by May 31, 2031. The research project investigates the mechanistic integration of innate immune and metabolic responses in muscle tissue during infection, specifically examining how energy substrate metabolism influences infection susceptibility in populations. Using Drosophila as a genetically tractable model organism, the research identifies and characterizes the gut-muscle-adipose axis, exploring how intramuscular NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells)-dependent innate immune signaling controls systemic lipid storage and mobilization from adipose tissue in response to enteric bacterial infection.

The project deliverables include mechanistic characterization of how muscle tissue actively participates in infection responses rather than serving as a passive target, with particular focus on mitochondrial biogenesis and function in adult somatic muscle types and intramuscular glutamate dehydrogenase-dependent glutamate synthesis. The research outputs are expected to advance understanding of how coordinated immune-metabolic responses at the tissue level improve bacterial clearance and survival outcomes, contributing foundational knowledge to the broader field of infectious disease research and innate immunity.