Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York $855,113 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for a five-year project period beginning April 1, 2026 and concluding March 31, 2031. This Project Grant supports research focused on developing passive immunotherapy for measles infection through identification and production of anti-fusion (anti-F) protein neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. The research addresses a critical gap in current measles vaccine effectiveness, specifically the vaccine's inability to elicit neutralizing antibodies against the fusion protein—a shortcoming that limits the potency of hyperimmune sera used to treat immunocompromised individuals who cannot receive the live measles vaccine.

The funded research comprises two specific aims: (1) production and selection of anti-F neutralizing antibodies and (2) evaluation of protective efficacy afforded by anti-F protein passive immunotherapy. The ultimate deliverable is a defined cocktail of long-lasting monoclonal antibodies suitable for clinical application in severely immunocompromised patients who lack viable vaccination options. This work directly supports NIAID's mission to fund investigator-initiated biomedical research addressing infectious diseases and related immunologic disorders, with particular emphasis on developing therapeutic interventions for populations at increased risk of severe measles complications, including those with persistent central nervous system infections.