Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of Colorado-Denver a Project Grant of $234,000 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to conduct research on the transcriptional control mechanisms governing mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cell identity and function. The award, effective April 23, 2026, through March 31, 2028, will support integrated research combining transcriptomic, epigenomic, metabolic, and functional profiling to define how the transcription factors PLZF and Helios regulate MAIT cell effector capabilities, tissue-homing capacity, and metabolic function. The research will utilize clinically relevant molecular degraders (CC-647 and DKY-709) to precisely manipulate transcriptional programs in primary human samples, with the goal of enabling rational design of engineered MAIT cells with optimized persistence and functionality for off-the-shelf immunotherapies.

This research directly advances NIAID's mission to support investigator-initiated biomedical research addressing infectious diseases and immunologic disorders. The project outcomes are intended to enhance understanding of innate-like T cell biology and translate laboratory findings into improved therapeutic candidates for cancer and infectious disease immunotherapy applications, contributing to the broader public health objectives of the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program.