Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Award Details: The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) awarded a Project Grant of $422,698.00 to William Marsh Rice University on February 6, 2026, with completion targeted by January 31, 2028. The research will be conducted at Rice University's Houston, Texas campus.

Research Deliverables and Services: This project grant funds investigator-initiated biomedical research investigating how the innate immune system shapes the adaptation and emergence of opportunistic bacterial pathogens. The research employs a high-throughput experimental approach combining microfluidics technology, in vitro experimental evolution, and genomic/phenotypic characterization to examine interactions between environmental bacteria and an in vitro innate immune system model comprising both humoral and cellular immune components. The primary deliverables include: (1) identification of how humoral and cellular innate immune responses eliminate diverse environmental microbes, and (2) characterization of adaptive mechanisms and traits that microbes develop in response to innate immune challenges. These research outputs will advance scientific understanding of pathogen emergence mechanisms and inform strategies for mitigating infectious disease threats posed by emerging and pre-emergent pathogens that transition from environmental reservoirs to human hosts.