Federal Grant Award Summary

New York University School of Medicine received a $755,801 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective February 3, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2031. The award supports investigator-initiated biomedical research focused on understanding the regulation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell function through the study of CLNS1A, a protein that controls DNA repair and cell cycle regulation in activated T cells. The research employs animal models of brain and intestinal inflammation to investigate how CLNS1A regulates the expression of hundreds of genes involved in cell cycle regulation and DNA repair, with particular focus on how this protein coordinates with the enzyme PRMT5 to enable T cell proliferation.

This project addresses a critical knowledge gap regarding ion channels and related proteins in T cell biology and their potential development as new drug targets for treating immune-mediated diseases including autoimmune disorders, allergies, and cancer. The research outputs will contribute to the broader scientific understanding of T cell mechanisms in both health and disease, with translational implications for developing novel therapeutic interventions. The award represents the NIAID's commitment to supporting competitive, meritorious basic science research that advances scientific knowledge of immunologic diseases through peer-reviewed mechanisms at leading academic medical institutions.