Federal Grant Award Summary

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY), operating as Hunter College, received a $235,500 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. The award funds innovative research investigating the gut microbiome-sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) axis as a modulator of severe malaria pathogenesis. The research team will conduct murine model studies to determine how gut microbiota composition affects intestinal S1P levels and malaria outcomes, identify specific gut bacteria involved in S1P metabolism using click chemistry and metagenomic profiling, and test the causal role of S1P signaling in malaria pathogenesis through selective receptor and enzyme inhibitors.

This developmental research addresses a critical public health gap by exploring mechanisms linking gut bacterial composition to malaria severity—a disease causing over 200 million cases and 600,000 deaths annually, particularly among children in sub-Saharan Africa. By identifying the molecular pathways connecting Bacteroides species, S1P metabolism, and malaria susceptibility, the project aims to generate novel therapeutic strategies to prevent severe malaria anemia and hyperparasitemia, potentially contributing to improved clinical interventions beyond current antimalarial drugs and vaccines with limited efficacy.