Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded The Ohio State University a Project Grant totaling $583,909 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on February 18, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2031. This award supports biomedical research investigating the role of PD-1H (Programmed Death-1 Homolog, also known as VISTA) signaling in regulating the tissue immune microenvironment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), with particular focus on lupus nephritis. The research will advance scientific understanding of immune checkpoint-mediated regulation in autoimmune conditions and evaluate PD-1H-targeted immune checkpoint activators as a novel therapeutic approach.

The principal research deliverables include: (1) mapping the spatial distribution of PD-1H in kidney and skin biopsies from lupus patients using multiplex immunofluorescence and spatial transcriptomics; (2) determining how PD-1H regulates immune infiltration and modulates pathogenic immune activity using induced lupus models in tissue-specific PD-1H-deficient mice; and (3) investigating PD-1H interactions with key kinases in T cell receptor signaling to elucidate mechanisms underlying the checkpoint receptor's inhibitory effects. The research will be conducted at The Ohio State University's Office of Sponsored Programs in Columbus, Ohio.