Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco a Project Grant totaling $717,745 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on June 12, 2026, with an ultimate completion date of May 31, 2031. This award supports investigator-initiated biomedical research focused on understanding T cell development and immune tolerance mechanisms. The research project, titled "Tuning TCR Signaling and Cell Fate During Thymic Selection," will generate scientific knowledge and methodological advances regarding how T cell receptor (TCR) signaling is regulated during thymic selection—a critical immunological process that establishes a mature T cell repertoire capable of tolerating self-antigens while responding to foreign pathogens. The research will be conducted at UCSF's San Francisco, California facility.

The project delivers fundamental research outputs examining the molecular mechanisms linking self-reactivity to TCR signal tuning through investigation of a kinetic proofreading module and the LAT-NR4A signaling axis in thymocytes. Expected deliverables include characterization of how self-reactivity is translated into TCR signal tuning, refined understanding of central tolerance enforcement mechanisms, and improved self/non-self discrimination in adaptive immunity. These research findings will advance scientific understanding of immunological disorders and contribute to the broader knowledge base supporting infectious disease and immunology research within NIAID's mission to improve public health outcomes.