Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center received a $484,720 Project Grant award dated June 22, 2026, from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847). The award funds basic biomedical research investigating ferroptosis—a regulated form of cell death driven by lipid peroxidation—in acute pancreatitis (AP). The research will characterize the extracellular function of SQSTM1 (sequestosome-1) as a ferroptosis sensitizer in pancreatic acinar cells and elucidate upstream regulatory mechanisms involving the transcription factor CEBPB and dietary sphingomyelin metabolism. Deliverables include transcriptomic, lipidomic, and phosphoproteomic analyses; development and validation of iSQSTM1, a novel small molecule inhibitor targeting the SQSTM1-AGER interaction; and comprehensive preclinical evaluation of therapeutic efficacy across multiple murine AP models with assessment of immune landscape remodeling and tissue injury.

The research integrates ferroptosis, lipid metabolism signaling, and immune activation into a unified mechanistic framework for AP pathogenesis, with the ultimate goal of advancing a therapeutic strategy to mitigate ferroptotic damage and inflammatory complications. The project is scheduled for completion by March 31, 2030, and addresses a critical unmet clinical need in treating acute pancreatitis, a severe disease characterized by acinar cell injury and systemic complications.