Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Albert Einstein College of Medicine received a $3.2 million Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective June 18, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2030. The award supports biomedical research investigating the interaction between TAR (Trans-Activation Response) RNA and INI1/SMARCB1 (Integrase Interactor 1/SWI/SNF-related Matrix-associated Actin-dependent Regulator of Chromatin Subfamily B Member 1), a component of chromatin remodeling complexes critical to HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1) transcription and latency reactivation. The research aims to elucidate how the INI1 protein's winged helix DNA-binding domain facilitates HIV-1 transcriptional elongation and viral latency reactivation through interaction with TAR RNA and recruitment of the PBAF (Polybromo-associated BAF) complex to the HIV-1 long terminal repeat.

The deliverables from this research initiative include scientific findings on HIV-1 transcriptional regulation mechanisms, characterization of INI1 domain-specific functions in distinct stages of viral replication, and advancement of understanding regarding how disrupting the INI1-TAR interaction affects viral latency. These research products directly support the federal program's objectives of establishing and expanding biomedical research addressing infectious diseases, with potential implications for developing novel HIV-1 cure strategies and therapeutic interventions targeting latent viral reservoirs.