Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded The Leland Stanford Junior University a Project Grant of $534,802 on February 5, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847). The research, entitled "T-Cell Oligoclonality in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia," will be conducted in Palo Alto, California, through November 30, 2029. The project investigates the immune system's role in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) pathogenesis, specifically examining how clonal T-cell expansion contributes to prostate enlargement and lower urinary tract symptoms.

The deliverables from this award encompass research findings that characterize oligoclonal T-cell subsets in BPH tissue, identify inciting antigens recognized by these T cells, and determine the role of lymphocyte chemoattractant CXCL13 in BPH nodular growth. The research will employ innovative techniques including T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire profiling, single-cell spatial transcriptomics, cell-based high-throughput antigen screening, and a BPH tissue explant model system. The anticipated outcomes will establish foundational understanding of immune-driven BPH mechanisms and provide the basis for developing prevention and treatment approaches targeting these immune processes.