Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Florida State University's Sponsored Research Administration Division received $800,229 in funding 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 July 7, 2026 and completion targeted for June 30, 2031. The project, titled "Small Molecule Inhibitors of Nef-Mediated Immune Evasion," focuses on developing small molecule inhibitors to block HIV-1's immune evasion mechanisms. Specifically, the research aims to inhibit the HIV-1 Nef protein, which currently allows infected cells to escape detection by downregulating major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and CD4 from host cell surfaces, thereby evading cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells.

The deliverables include the development and optimization of in vitro assays for screening small molecule libraries to identify Nef inhibitors that can restore host immune cell recognition and killing capacity of HIV-1-infected cells. This therapeutic approach targets a critical barrier to HIV cure by empowering both cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells to identify and eliminate infected cells, offering a potential path toward functional HIV eradication rather than lifelong antiretroviral dependence.