Federal Project Grant Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of Illinois at Chicago $790,913 on July 13, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to conduct biomedical research on gut commensal microbiota and T cell-mediated inflammation. The project, which extends through June 30, 2031, will elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB)-specific CD4 T cells become dysregulated and induce autoimmune neuroinflammation in the central nervous system (CNS). The research employs a transgenic mouse model system and gnotobiotic approaches to investigate how intestinal commensal-specific T cells are initially generated in gut-draining mesenteric lymph nodes and subsequently reactivated in the CNS via molecular mimicry, ultimately leading to the production of inflammatory cytokines including interferon-gamma, interleukin-17A, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.

The grant supports a three-aim research initiative designed to identify pathogenic mechanisms of commensal-specific T cell-mediated CNS inflammation and develop strategies to control gut commensal-specific CD4 T cell-driven autoimmune pathology. This research advances understanding of how the intestinal microbiota contributes to inflammation in distal tissues, with potential implications for multiple autoimmune diseases. The project contributes to NIAID's broader mission of funding innovative research addressing infectious, immunologic, and allergic disease challenges through competitive peer-reviewed mechanisms.