Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded The University of Iowa a $427,625 Project Grant under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on February 1, 2026, with completion scheduled for January 31, 2028. This award funds a research project titled "TRAF3 Shapes CD4 T Cell Fate and Function During Chronic Infection," which investigates the molecular mechanisms by which Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Factor 3 (TRAF3) regulates CD4+ T cell differentiation and function in chronic viral and parasitic infections. The research employs advanced single-cell genomic and epigenetic approaches, including single-cell RNA sequencing, to dissect how TRAF3 integrates T cell receptor, cytokine, and co-stimulatory signals to regulate T follicular helper cell, T helper type 1 cell, and memory-like CD4+ T cell differentiation.

The project addresses a critical gap in understanding CD4+ T cell responses during persistent infections, where immune dysfunction and T cell exhaustion significantly burden human health. By leveraging complementary experimental systems and high-resolution technical approaches, the research aims to elucidate previously unrecognized transcriptional and epigenetic regulatory roles of TRAF3, with potential implications for developing therapeutic interventions targeting chronic infectious diseases.