Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded Massachusetts General Hospital $798,107 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on February 3, 2026, for a project extending through January 31, 2031. This Project Grant supports a tissue-based research initiative investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tuberculosis (TB)-associated lung fibrosis, also known as post-TB lung disease (PTLD). The research aims to identify adjunctive therapies that could be administered alongside traditional anti-TB antibiotics to modulate tissue destruction and pathologic remodeling, ultimately improving post-treatment lung health, quality of life, and longevity for TB survivors.

The grant funds a collaborative research effort leveraging unique institutional resources, including a human lung tissue biobank representing a range of TB-associated fibrotic pathologies and a mouse model for studying TB-associated fibrosis mechanisms. The research program encompasses histopathological analysis, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and spatial transcriptomics to identify spatial correlates of fibrogenesis and define macrophage subsets associated with fibrogenic processes. Study findings from the mouse model will be benchmarked against human tissue specimens to validate results and identify novel candidate molecules, cells, and pathways relevant to TB-associated lung fibrosis, thereby addressing critical knowledge gaps that have limited the development of adjunctive treatment approaches.