Biophysical and structural clues on how T cells are selected in autoimmune disease
Official title: Biophysical and structural basis of T cell selection at the intersection of the conventional and regulatory T cell repertoires
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11447822 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how self-reactive T cells are shaped in the body to prevent or cause autoimmunity, with potential to guide better treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | July 10, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,177,657 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AI195995-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11447822 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with autoimmune conditions or healthy volunteers contributing to immunology studies through blood samples; no direct patient treatment is involved in this grant.
✕Less likely to help
Participants without autoimmune risk factors or those not contributing samples would not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project seeks to map the physical interactions between self-antigens, MHC class II molecules, and T cell receptors in both conventional and regulatory T cells. By studying the structural and biophysical features that drive T cell fate in the thymus and in target organs, researchers hope to identify how faulty self-tolerance leads to autoimmune disease. The findings could inform future therapies that more precisely modulate autoimmune T cells and strengthen immune tolerance. The work involves detailed molecular analyses and may eventually translate into strategies to prevent self-reactive T cells from causing disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of T cell tolerance could lead to targeted therapies that reduce autoimmune attacks and preserve normal immune function.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that T cell selection and self-reactivity are shaped by biophysical and structural cues, with translational potential to tolerance-based therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Savage, Peter Aidan — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Savage, Peter Aidan
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.