Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center a $456,500 Project Grant under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for the period April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. The research will develop and validate a defined sequential infection model for laboratory mice designed to mature their immune responses to more closely resemble those of humans and wild mice. The investigators will determine which aspects of immune responses observed in mice exposed to wild microbes are recapitulated through controlled exposure to a defined series of three viruses and an intestinal parasite, while also identifying the contribution of specific pathogens and the importance of infection sequencing to immune system maturation.

The primary deliverables include a well-characterized, reproducible microbial-experienced mouse model that can be adopted by other researchers, along with documented findings regarding which specific pathogens contribute to immune system maturity. These research outcomes are intended to enhance the translational validity of mouse models for preclinical human immune research by bridging the gap between laboratory and wild mice immune responses without requiring researchers to expose mice to wild populations. The research will be conducted at UT Southwestern's Dallas, Texas facility.