Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of California, Los Angeles a Project Grant of $744,483 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on June 16, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2031. This five-year research initiative will advance scientific understanding of B-cell receptor (BCR) selection mechanisms and antibody response generation through integrated computational and experimental approaches. The research will deliver critical insights into how B-cells make fate decisions during immune responses—specifically examining survival versus death, proliferation, and differentiation into antibody-secreting plasma cells—while identifying regulatory circuits that control negative selection stringency and prevent autoimmune responses.

The research program will produce multiple deliverables including mechanistic data on epigenetic heterogeneity in B-cell populations, identification of temporal proofreading mechanisms governing immune tolerance, and characterization of germinal center cytokine factors amenable to in vivo manipulation for vaccine optimization. Utilizing multi-scale mathematical modeling, live-cell video microscopy, in vitro experimental studies, and in vivo immunization studies conducted at UCLA's Los Angeles, California facility, this research will generate foundational knowledge intended to improve vaccine efficacy and safety across diverse populations by elucidating the molecular and cellular basis of variable antibody responses.