Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Michigan's Regents received a $411,078 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective April 7, 2026 through March 31, 2028. This research grant supports investigator-initiated biomedical research aimed at understanding the immunological mechanisms underlying early-life microbial exposure and its impact on immune system development. Specifically, the funded research will utilize mouse models to investigate how perinatal exposure to diverse pathogenic microbes influences the functional programming and developmental plasticity of Group 1 innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), with particular emphasis on natural killer (NK) cells and their roles in innate immune responses.

The research addresses a critical gap in understanding how microbial diversity during the perinatal period shapes innate immunity, building on epidemiological evidence that early microbial exposure reduces susceptibility to allergic diseases and autoimmune disorders. The project will generate scientific knowledge regarding immune cell ontogeny and functional specification, with potential implications for improving understanding of immune dysregulation conditions including asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and atopic diseases. Research activities will be conducted at the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor, Michigan campus, with work expected to produce experimental findings and mechanistic insights into innate lymphocyte development and immune tolerance.