Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology a Project Grant totaling $506,550 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on June 11, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2028. The grant funds research aimed at improving chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for people living with HIV by investigating the immunosuppressive effects of interferon-beta (IFNB). The research will identify mechanisms by which chronic IFNB exposure impairs HIV-specific CAR T cell function and determine whether neutralizing IFNB enhances CAR T cell engraftment and persistence in HIV-infected humanized mouse models.

The deliverables under this award include scientific research outputs addressing a critical gap in HIV immunotherapy optimization. Specifically, the Wistar Institute will conduct mechanistic studies to elucidate how IFNB-mediated immune activation suppresses engineered T cell proliferation and survival, and conduct in vivo studies evaluating the therapeutic potential of IFNB neutralization as an adjunctive strategy to augment CAR T cell-based HIV treatments. These research activities are intended to support the clinical translation of enhanced HIV-specific CAR T cell therapies, ultimately improving treatment outcomes for people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy.