Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Brigham & Women's Hospital Inc., through the Department of Faulkner Pathology, received a $778,143 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 3, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2031. This five-year research initiative investigates the regulation of naive follicular B cell polyreactivity and how antibody-producing B cells maintain diversity while preventing autoimmune responses. The research examines how microbial symbionts influence the composition of the B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire and the mechanisms by which tolerance checkpoints filter polyreactive antibodies during B cell maturation.

The project delivers fundamental biomedical research through two specific aims: characterizing the influence of microbial symbionts on polyreactivity and antigen recognition capacity, and defining the contribution of the IL-17-neutrophil-BAFF (B-cell activating factor) axis in regulating microbial-mediated polyreactivity. The research is designed to elucidate how the immune system balances the protective benefits of antibody diversity against multiple pathogenic threats while simultaneously preventing self-reactive antibodies that could cause autoimmune disease. This investigator-initiated research contributes to the National Institutes of Health's broader mission to establish and expand biomedical research addressing infectious diseases and immunologic disorders.