Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Florida's Division of Sponsored Research received a $667,735 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), with an award date of February 13, 2026 and a completion date of January 31, 2031. This grant funds research investigating potassium channel regulation of antiviral immune responses, with the objective of identifying novel regulators of immunity and potential therapeutic targets for viral diseases. The research will examine how ATP-gated inward rectifier potassium (KATP) channels regulate antiviral immune responses across multiple physiological systems, including circulatory homeostasis, RNA interference (RNAi) machinery function, and reactive oxygen species generation in model organisms to inform understanding of human antiviral immunity.

The research project will deliver systematic experimental findings through three specific aims that test KATP channel involvement in viral immunity. These deliverables include scientific data on the influence of viral infection and K+ efflux modulation on dorsal vessel contraction dynamics and circulatory homeostasis, mechanistic insights into how KATP channels regulate antiviral RNAi machinery, and characterization of how aerobic respiration products regulate antiviral immune pathways. The results will advance fundamental knowledge of ion channel biology and immune regulation, potentially identifying KATP channels as therapeutic intervention points for improving antiviral immune responses in humans.