Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Chicago received a $1,177,657 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective July 10, 2026, through June 30, 2031. This award supports a five-year research project investigating the biophysical and structural basis of T cell selection at the intersection of conventional and regulatory T cell repertoires. The research aims to define how T cell receptors (TCRs) recognize self-peptide-MHC class II molecules and determine the mechanisms that govern T cell fate and function in the thymus, peripheral tissues, and autoimmune target organs, with the ultimate objective of understanding how TCR positioning and signaling sensitivity impact the balance between autoimmunity and tolerance in CD4+ T cell populations.

The deliverables under this grant include foundational research findings on TCR-mediated recognition of self-antigens, structural and biophysical characterization of TCR-MHC interactions, and mechanistic insights into how these molecular features influence regulatory T cell function and the control of autoreactive conventional T cells. The research directly addresses the significant public health burden of autoimmune disease, which affects approximately one in twenty Americans, by elucidating fundamental immunological processes that could inform future therapeutic interventions for autoimmune conditions.