Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of Florida $392,142.00 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to develop commensal bacteria-derived nanoparticles for treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The project, initiated February 18, 2026, and concluding January 31, 2028, focuses on engineering nanoparticles derived from polysaccharide A (PSA), a polymer sourced from the commensal bacterium Bacteroides fragilis. The research aims to create an off-the-shelf therapeutic approach for ulcerative colitis by generating antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Tregs) that restore immune balance in the inflamed gut microbiota and counter gut dysbiosis.

The primary deliverable is the development and characterization of PSA-based nanoparticles that activate toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) on dendritic cells and stimulate robust interleukin-10 (IL-10) production from Tregs. This research addresses critical limitations in current IBD treatment options, which are restricted to small molecule drugs and biologics associated with high toxicity and off-target effects. The project, performed at the University of Florida's Immunomodulatory Biomaterials Lab in Gainesville, represents an advancement in targeted immunomodulatory therapy for IBD and related metabolic, neural, allergic, and autoimmune diseases linked to gut dysbiosis.