Federal Grant Award Summary

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey received a $431,750 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded February 3, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2028. This research grant supports biomedical research investigating novel metabolite-derived anorexigens and their role in sickness-associated appetite suppression during infection and inflammation.

The project examines how interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) regulates appetite loss and weight loss during infection by investigating a newly identified biochemical pathway mediated by the enzyme carnosine dipeptidase 2 (CNDP2). Specifically, the research will elucidate how IFN-γ signaling induces CNDP2 expression in immune cells, leading to elevated circulating levels of beta-hydroxybutyric acid-amino acid conjugates that function as appetite suppressants. The research will be conducted at Rutgers' Newark, New Jersey location and will include experimental studies using animal infection models to test hypotheses regarding the mechanistic relationship between IFN-γ, CNDP2, and metabolite-derived anorexigens during parasitic infection, contributing to understanding of host responses during infectious disease.