The central objective of this proposal is to delineate radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) induced changes across regional immune compartments, including the cutaneous (skin), mucosal…

The Department of the Army Materiel Command Research Development and Engineering Command awarded Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center $694,525 on April 1, 2026, under the Basic Scientific Research program (CFDA 12.431) to investigate radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) effects on immune system compartments.

The recipient will characterize RF-EMF-induced changes across regional immune compartments including skin, lungs, the blood-brain barrier, and eyes, focusing on two microwave frequency bands: the C-Band (4–8 GHz) and the K-Band (18–27 GHz). The research rationale centers on frequency-dependent effects of RF-EMF on biological tissues, where penetration depth inversely correlates with frequency, potentially producing significant immune impacts on skin, lung, and ocular tissues.

The award runs through March 31, 2029, with place of performance in Lubbock, Texas. This is a project grant under the Basic Scientific Research program, which supports high-risk, high-payoff basic science aligned with long-term Army national security needs.

The central objective of this proposal is to delineate radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) induced changes across regional immune compartments, including the cutaneous (skin), mucosal (lungs), the blood-brain barrier and eyes. The team's effort will focus on two microwave frequency bands: the c-band (4-8 GHZ) and the k-band (18-27 GHZ). The team's rationale is that the effect of RF-EMF on biological tissues is strongly dependent on frequency, as penetration depth is inversely related to frequency. Therefore, the RF-EMF mediated effects on the skin and lung immune homeostasis and other tissues including the eyes could be significant.