Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded The Washington University a Project Grant totaling $624,300 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective February 2, 2026, through January 31, 2031. This five-year award supports research investigating myelin and non-myelin immune responses in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. The research deliverables include characterization of T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires in MS patients through single-cell paired TCR sequencing, identification of convergent CD4 TCR sequences across DR15-positive MS patients, and discovery of cross-reactive T cells responding to both myelin basic protein and human adenovirus peptides. The research team will generate DR15 tetramers bearing adenovirus peptides and establish transgenic mouse models to test cross-reactivity hypotheses, providing critical insights into infectious disease triggers of autoimmune responses in MS populations.

The award supports investigator-initiated biomedical research conducted at The Washington University's Office of Sponsored Research Services in St. Louis, Missouri. Research activities encompass unbiased TCR sequencing of activated T cells from blood and cerebrospinal fluid specimens collected from MS patients and healthy controls, with anticipated outcomes including identification of disease-relevant T cell populations and validation of viral-autoantigen cross-reactivity mechanisms. These research products will advance understanding of MS immunopathogenesis and inform therapeutic development strategies targeting cross-reactive T cell populations.