Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of Washington a $804,183 Project Grant on July 16, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to support deep learning-enabled protein design research. The grant funds the development and characterization of bacterial-targeting chimeras (BacTACs)—novel bifunctional proteins designed to bind antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens while simultaneously engaging host immune receptors to enhance immune-mediated bacterial clearance. The research addresses the critical public health challenge of antibiotic resistance by applying targeted protein degradation approaches originally developed for cancer therapeutics to infectious disease applications.

The project will deliver high-affinity protein binders targeting surface-accessible proteins of Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus, engineered chimeric proteins that engage phagocyte immune receptors, and comprehensive characterization data on the efficacy of these designed molecules in redirecting immune responses against resistant bacterial threats. The award supports research through June 30, 2031, at the University of Washington's Seattle facility, leveraging cutting-edge computational protein design tools to generate therapeutic candidates that complement traditional antibiotic approaches for difficult-to-treat infections.