Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded a $690,883 Project Grant to the Regents of the University of Michigan for research investigating signal relay mechanisms during directed cell migration and inflammation in skin. The award, granted on June 5, 2026, with an ultimate completion date of May 31, 2031, supports basic science research under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855). The research examines how leukotriene B4 (LTB4) signaling regulates both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory phases during acute inflammation, with particular focus on neutrophil chemotaxis, exosome-mediated signal relay, and the role of extracellular DNA in inflammation resolution. The project employs molecular and cellular biology approaches, including mouse models of sterile skin inflammation, to elucidate mechanisms by which neutrophils sense chemical cues, migrate directionally, and facilitate inflammatory cell swarming through secondary chemoattractant secretion.

This investigator-initiated research contributes to NIAID's broader mission of establishing and expanding knowledge concerning infectious diseases and immunologic disorders. The deliverables include scientific findings and methodological advances regarding neutrophil behavior, intracellular signaling pathways, and inflammatory resolution mechanisms that advance the understanding of innate immunity and potentially inform therapeutic approaches to infection and tissue injury response.