Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded UC Berkeley a $751,663 Project Grant under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on April 1, 2026, with a completion date of March 31, 2031. This award funds basic biomedical research aimed at dissecting Shigella pathogenesis through a newly developed physiological oral infection mouse model. The research will utilize NLRC4-deficient mice that exhibit hallmarks of human shigellosis—including weight loss, diarrhea, bacterial replication in intestinal epithelial cells, and neutrophilic inflammation—to identify key host and bacterial factors controlling disease pathogenesis. The study will generate scientific knowledge regarding the role of bystander macrophages in orchestrating immunity to Shigella through specific cytokine axes, advancing understanding of this severe diarrheal disease that causes an estimated 200 million annual cases and 200,000 deaths worldwide.

This research represents a major advancement for the infectious disease field by providing the first genetically tractable and physiologically relevant animal model for Shigella, addressing previous limitations of in vitro and non-physiological animal models. By establishing this research infrastructure and conducting mechanistic studies, UC Berkeley will deliver peer-reviewed scientific findings and methodological advances intended to improve public health outcomes and inform future therapeutic interventions for shigellosis, a critical public health concern particularly affecting young children in developing nations.