Project Grant R01DK141491

This federal Project Grant award in the amount of $493,470.00 was provided by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847). The award will fund research at the University of Arizona to investigate the role of the AIM2 protein in the development of specialized intestinal epithelial cells called tuft cells, and how this impacts the regulation of inflammatory bowel diseases. The project will utilize tissue-specific animal models, intestinal epithelial organoid models, and experimental models of small intestine inflammation to elucidate the molecular and cellular processes by which AIM2 influences tuft cell development and type 2 innate immunity. The goal is to identify novel innate immune targets, signaling pathways, and microbial triggers that can help redirect immune activation and promote resolution of inflammatory bowel diseases. The project period will run from January 1, 2025 through November 30, 2028.