Glutaminase metabolism in dendritic cells and its role in inflammation and tolerance
Official title: Determining the contribution of glutaminase-dependent metabolism ofdendritic cells to inflammatory diseases
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11567724 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how a key metabolic enzyme in dendritic cells may control whether immune cells promote inflammation or promote tolerance in allergic diseases.
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 | June 13, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $648,688 |
| NIH project number | 7R01AI192909-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11567724 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with allergic diseases in whom future translational work could explore metabolism-based therapies; at this stage, the study is preclinical.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with allergic diseases may not directly benefit during this preclinical phase, as results come from mouse models and cellular studies.
What this research studies
Dendritic cells help decide whether the immune system fights or tolerates threats. The project will study how the metabolism of glutamine, via the enzyme glutaminase, influences dendritic cell function and antigen presentation. Using mouse models where glutaminase is missing in dendritic cells, researchers will examine changes in how DCs mature, activate T cells, and shape inflammation or tolerance. The goal is to uncover metabolic checkpoints that could be targeted to treat allergic conditions by steering immune responses toward tolerance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to new approaches that dampen allergic inflammation by reprogramming immune cell metabolism.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that DC metabolism influences antigen presentation and inflammation, supporting the plausibility of targeting glutaminase to modulate immune responses.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mogilenko, Denis — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Mogilenko, Denis
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Education and violence: Can high-dosage tutoring reduce youth violence
A large study in Chicago schools will test whether high-dosage tutoring for students can lessen youth violence by improving learning and outcomes.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Lens proteins, cell stress, and cataracts in kids and adults
A study aims to understand how lens proteins and cellular stress contribute to cataracts, in both humans and mice, with the goal of guiding prevention or treatment.
-
Understanding how neurons keep their identity and function for life
Scientists are studying how nerve cells maintain their distinctive identity and function from development through aging, using human-derived neurons and a simple worm model to uncover the long-term control of brain cell behavior.
-
Cardiac Sarcomere Protein Quality Control in Health and Disease
A heart-focused study looking at how heart muscle proteins get misfolded and how the cell’s cleanup system might fix this to protect heart function.
-
Communication Bridge: Improving language therapy for people with primary progressive aphasia
A proven language-therapy program called Communication Bridge helps people with primary progressive aphasia improve and maintain how they communicate with others.
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.