$1.95M Grant Awarded to Study Autoimmune Diseases

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $1.95 million federal grant to researchers investigating the underlying cause (molecular mechanisms) of autoimmune diseases.The five-year study will use mouse models and a new RNA sequencing technology from 10x Genomics to better understand the mechanisms of central and peripheral tolerance. “The goal of the work is to better understand how the natural limitations of thymic selection predispose us to autoimmunity,” said Leszek Ignatowicz, PhD, lead investigator of the study. “This research will provide a better understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms driving autoimmunity and help to develop therapeutic strategies targeting autoreactive cells that escaped central tolerance.”