Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) awarded a $749,640 Project Grant to the University of California, Davis, effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031, to conduct research investigating the interplay between TET1-mediated epigenomic mechanisms and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification in pulmonary inflammation induced by particulate matter (PM) exposure. Under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113), the research will examine molecular mechanisms by which PM exposure induces oxidative stress and lung inflammation through the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) pathway and epithelial cytokines. The project addresses significant gaps in understanding how RNA m6A readers, writers, and erasers interact with the DNA demethylase TET1 to regulate gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and inflammatory responses in airway epithelial cells.

The research deliverables will include mechanistic studies of TET1's role in protecting against PM-induced lung inflammation and remodeling, with emphasis on how TET1 promotes detoxifying enzyme expression downstream of AHR signaling while restricting proinflammatory cytokine production. The project will advance understanding of TET1's noncanonical regulatory functions in chromatin accessibility and CTCF looping, contributing to the NIEHS mission of translating environmental health knowledge into strategies to reduce disease burden and promote health outcomes. This research addresses critical public health concerns, as approximately 40% of the U.S. population experiences exposure to unhealthy air pollution.