Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded $496,344 to the Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason on February 19, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855). This Project Grant supports biomedical research investigating the DYRK1A-GP130 axis and its role in driving immune dysregulation, with particular focus on Down syndrome (Trisomy 21) and broader autoimmunity mechanisms. The research will advance understanding of how the chromosome 21-encoded kinase DYRK1A regulates immune cell responses, particularly the differentiation of pro-autoimmunity TH17 cells and cellular responses to interleukin-6 (IL-6) and related cytokines through GP130 receptor signaling. This work aims to identify DYRK1A as a potential druggable target for treating or preventing autoimmune disease in individuals with Down syndrome and other populations.

The project, with completion targeted for January 31, 2028, encompasses multiple experimental approaches examining the DYRK1A-GP130 axis across human subjects with and without Down syndrome, various immune cell types beyond naive CD4+ T cells, and murine disease models. Deliverables include pilot high-risk, high-reward immune studies of individuals with DYRK1A syndrome and completion of defined research aims investigating human GP130 regulation mechanisms. The research will be conducted at the award recipient's Seattle, Washington facility and contributes to NIAID's mission of supporting investigator-initiated research that advances scientific knowledge of immunologic diseases and develops potential therapeutic interventions.