Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Nebraska received a $127,159 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2030. This biomedical research initiative investigates the immunological mechanisms by which androgens protect against the development of immune responses to peanuts, with particular focus on understanding biological sex differences in peanut allergy susceptibility. The research addresses a significant public health gap, as females are twice as likely to develop peanut allergies compared to males. The project will characterize how androgens negatively regulate peanut allergy development through examination of innate and adaptive immune pathways, with the long-term goal of dissecting immunological mechanisms underlying sex hormone modulation of immune responses to peanut allergens.

The grant funds investigator-initiated basic science research intended to advance understanding of disease mechanisms and generate scientific knowledge applicable to allergic disease prevention and treatment. Research outputs from this project will contribute to the body of knowledge supporting the National Institutes of Health mission to improve public health outcomes and protect communities from allergic disease threats through rigorous peer-reviewed scientific investigation conducted at the University of Nebraska's Nebraska location.