Federal Grant Award Summary

Award Details: Rutgers The State University of New Jersey (RBHS-School of Nursing) received a $647,356 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 17, 2026, with completion targeted for May 31, 2031.

Research Products and Services: This project grant funds investigator-initiated biomedical research examining the role of GPR132 (a G protein-coupled receptor) in regulating CD8 T cell responses during infection and cancer. The research will produce fundamental scientific knowledge regarding T cell expansion and memory differentiation through three primary objectives: (1) uncovering the temporal role of GPR132 in regulating T cell accumulation and function during infection and tumorigenesis, (2) examining the abundance of GPR132-activating ligands within tissue during health and disease states, and (3) determining how altering GPR132 ligand availability could enhance or inhibit T cell responses therapeutically. The research outputs will advance understanding of regulatory mechanisms controlling T cell response magnitude and generate insights applicable to boosting immune responses against pathogens and tumors or inhibiting pathogenic immune responses.