Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Massachusetts Institute of Technology received a $172,028 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to develop innovative therapeutics targeting invasive fungal infections, particularly Candida auris. The award, dated June 1, 2026, with completion targeted for May 31, 2028, funds research to create "cellular glues"—multivalent ligand compounds designed to enhance interactions between fungal pathogens and phagocytic immune cells (neutrophils and monocytes) to promote pathogen destruction.

The research deliverables are structured in two phases. The R21 phase focuses on developing and validating multifunctional compounds that simultaneously bind to glycan-binding proteins on C. auris and to uptake and signaling receptors on phagocytes, followed by assessment of the compounds' ability to activate phagocytes and promote fungal killing. Upon achieving specified milestones, the R33 phase will advance to in vivo safety and efficacy studies, including toxicity assessments, biodistribution analysis, and antifungal efficacy testing in mouse infection models, with collaborative optimization efforts between the Mansour and Kiessling research groups based at the Cambridge, MA facility.