The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded a $705,992 Project Grant under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to Brown University. The grant supports research to understand the molecular signals and cellular interactions that guide the differentiation of resident memory CD8 T cells (TRM) in the female reproductive tract (FRT) - a key component of protective antiviral immunity.
The project aims to leverage a novel in vitro 3D vaginal epithelial organoid system developed by the researchers to rapidly screen for transcriptional regulators of FRT TRM formation and investigate how the vaginal epithelium interacts with CD8 T cells to govern TRM differentiation. A sub-award to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will provide specialized expertise in T cell biology, genomics, and computational analysis to support the research activities. The 2-year project runs from May 2024 through March 2026 and seeks to establish a robust alternative to in vivo mouse models for advancing mechanistic understanding of CD8 TRM biology in the vaginal mucosa.
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