Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Texas A&M University System Health Science Center received a $416,894 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded February 9, 2026, with completion scheduled for January 31, 2028. The award supports research to develop and optimize a versatile bimodal gene expression system based on temperature-sensitive, self-splicing intein modules (InTTS). The project aims to re-engineer the existing Q-system—a genetic tool currently used across insect and vertebrate model organisms—to address documented limitations including toxicity and ineffective suppression mechanisms. By incorporating temperature-sensitive intein technology, the research will generate improved QF/QS gene expression capabilities suitable for precise tissue and temporally-specific manipulation of gene expression in both Drosophila melanogaster and zebrafish (Danio rerio) model systems.

This research directly supports NIAID's mission to fund investigator-initiated biomedical research that advances scientific knowledge of disease mechanisms and improves health outcomes. The enhanced gene expression system will provide researchers with superior genetic tools for elucidating gene function and cellular properties, with potential applications extending to disease studies relevant to human health. The project represents the type of foundational research supported under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program, which emphasizes innovative approaches to understanding biological processes that inform both basic science and translational disease research across multiple scientific disciplines.