Project Grant R01AI201589

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded New York University $827,768 on August 13, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to investigate how microbial exposure influences the persistence of long-lived plasma cells in the small intestinal lamina propria.

The research will employ imaging and single-cell profiling to define how microbial exposures shape the generation, turnover, and function of long-lived plasma cells by comparing rewilded, specific-pathogen-free, and gnotobiotic mice. Work will distinguish bacterial versus fungal drivers of persistence and evaluate how microbial perturbations alter antigen-specific responses. The project will also dissect the mechanisms by which microbial and stromal cues converge to promote long-lived plasma cell survival, including the impact of gut microbes on stromal niche factors, whether antigen recognition promotes plasma cell recruitment and persistence, and the contribution of pattern recognition receptor signaling and interferon-associated programs in plasma cell maintenance and function.

The award is structured as a Project Grant, a assistance type providing direct funding for biomedical research. New York University School of Medicine, the recipient, will conduct the work at its location in New York, New York 10016. Performance extends from the award date through July 31, 2031.