Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Oregon Health & Science University received a $3.1 million Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded July 13, 2026, with completion targeted for June 30, 2030. The grant supports basic and translational research investigating how bacterial pathogens inhibit epithelial cell extrusion, a critical innate immune defense mechanism protecting the intestinal barrier against gastrointestinal infections. Specifically, the research examines the molecular mechanisms by which the E. coli effector protein NLEL targets and degrades RHO-associated kinases (ROCK1/2) and non-canonical inflammasome components to prevent infected epithelial cells from being expelled from the tissue, thereby enabling pathogenic colonization and infection.

The deliverables include molecular characterization of NLEL-mediated ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation pathways, in vitro organoid-derived monolayer models demonstrating the relationship between NLEL expression and reduced cell extrusion, and in vivo murine studies using Citrobacter rodentium (an E. coli model) to establish the functional significance of NLEL and ROCK1/2 in bacterial pathogenesis. These research outputs are intended to advance understanding of host-pathogen interactions and innate immune evasion strategies, with potential implications for developing therapeutic interventions targeting bacterial virulence mechanisms in infectious diseases.