Federal Grant Award Summary

Seattle Children's Research Institute received a $859,765 Project Grant awarded July 3, 2026, under the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855). The award supports basic and translational biomedical research examining the role of ferroptosis—a form of iron and lipid peroxidation-mediated cell death—in regulating host control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. The research will investigate how different macrophage subsets respond to ferroptosis at distinct phases of tuberculosis infection, evaluate the impact of ferroptosis on infection outcomes, and identify novel molecular targets for ferroptosis regulation that may inform therapeutic strategies to shorten treatment regimens and reduce drug resistance.

The research initiative, which extends through May 31, 2031, will interrogate host and pathogen regulators of macrophage ferroptosis across temporospatial dimensions of infection. Specifically, the project will examine ferroptosis resistance mechanisms in alveolar macrophages during early infection and ferroptosis susceptibility in monocyte-derived macrophages during later disease stages, with the objective of identifying protective targets that could enhance immune responses to MTB and support development of novel therapeutic interventions for tuberculosis control.