Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology received a $506,550 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2031. This five-year award supports fundamental research investigating the mechanisms controlling the development of TIM4+ macrophages from TIM4- macrophages in steady-state and disease conditions. The research program addresses a gap in understanding post-differentiation macrophage development, proposing that TIM4- macrophages must undergo continuous "training and testing" through efferocytosis and IL4 (interleukin-4) signaling to become qualified professional phagocytes capable of efficiently handling apoptotic cells.

The grant funds three primary research objectives: (1) testing how efferocytosis and IL4 signaling synergistically promote TIM4+ macrophage development, (2) profiling epigenetic and metabolic changes during macrophage development, and (3) identifying novel epigenetic and metabolic regulators of this developmental process. By elucidating the fundamental factors dictating TIM4+ macrophage development, this research addresses questions of broad significance across biomedical disciplines, given the critical role of TIM4+ macrophages in tissue homeostasis and disease pathogenesis. The award supports basic biomedical research aligned with NIGMS's mission to increase understanding of biological processes that establish foundations for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.