Federal Project Grant Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded a $521,101 Project Grant to the University of Wisconsin-Madison on June 15, 2026, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) with a completion date of February 28, 2031. This grant supports research investigating the role of macrophages and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) trogocytosis in the bone marrow niche. The research focuses on understanding how HSCs acquire macrophage-associated markers through trogocytosis—a rapid membrane protein transfer mechanism—and how this process affects HSC retention in the bone marrow and subsequent homing to the bone marrow niche following transplantation.

The project delivers basic research findings aimed at elucidating the mechanistic interactions between bone marrow-resident macrophages and HSCs, with specific focus on characterizing the molecular transfer mechanisms involved in HSC trogocytosis, identifying what membrane-bound proteins and retention machinery are transferred, and determining whether macrophages guide HSC homing through transfer-dependent or independent pathways. These research outcomes will advance understanding of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation biology, with potential implications for improving the efficacy of HSC-based therapies for hematologic malignancies and other blood disorders.