Project Grant R01AI195448

Federal Grant Award Summary

Northwestern University's Sponsored Research Division received a $493,889 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) effective April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2031. This award supports investigator-initiated biomedical research aimed at elucidating the mechanisms underlying food-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody induction in the gastrointestinal tract—a critical knowledge gap given that more than 32 million Americans are affected by food allergies. The research employs mouse models of oral peanut exposure combined with advanced immunological techniques to identify environmental triggers and cellular pathways responsible for pathogenic food-specific IgE production.

The research deliverables include identification of pro-allergenic invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell subsets, characterization of their interaction with type 2 conventional dendritic cells and T follicular helper cells, and elucidation of the cytokine and co-stimulatory signals driving food-specific IgE production. Additionally, the project will test alternative lipid-based mechanisms that may promote food-specific IgE through iNKT and other lipid-restricted T cell pathways. These scientific outputs are intended to advance understanding of food allergy pathogenesis and potentially identify therapeutic targets for prevention and treatment of food allergic responses.