Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded $160,100 to The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on April 7, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to support a pilot research project with a completion date of March 31, 2027. The project investigates the functional impact of ZNF688 autoantibodies in oral lupus lesions, specifically examining whether autoantibodies targeting the zinc finger protein ZNF688 contribute to the pathogenesis of oral discoid lupus erythematosus (CCLE), a rare cutaneous lupus variant affecting oral and nasal mucosa. The funded research will deliver scientific investigation into whether anti-ZNF688 antibodies affect oral epithelial cell differentiation and survival, identify target genes and pathways regulated by ZNF688, and characterize the role of this understudied autoantigen in mucosal lupus lesions.

This pilot project responds to NIAID funding opportunity PAR25-122, which prioritizes investigation of understudied proteins associated with rare diseases. The deliverables include experimental findings on ZNF688 expression in oral epithelial cells and mechanistic insights into autoimmune-mediated epithelial dysfunction in discoid lupus, contributing to the broader scientific knowledge base on cutaneous lupus pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets for mucosal lesions.