Neutrophil development with stem cells to understand their behavior
Official title: Regulation of neutrophil heterogeneity and activation state using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neutrophils
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11621102 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how neutrophils, a type of immune cell, develop from stem cells to better understand why they can help or harm in infections and inflammatory diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $415,538 |
| NIH project number | 4R21AI200047-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11621102 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals affected by conditions involving neutrophil function or inflammatory neutrophil responses who could benefit from future therapies derived from engineered neutrophils.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or those without inflammatory/neutrophil-related conditions may have limited direct benefit from this basic mechanism-focused study.
What this research studies
The project uses human iPSC-derived neutrophils to explore how genetic factors control neutrophil maturation and function. By applying single-cell multi-omics and imaging, the study aims to map how GATA1 and its variants influence neutrophil fate. The work could uncover new ways to tailor neutrophil responses for therapies in infections and inflammatory conditions. The grant focuses on creating GMP-compatible iNeutrophils with defined properties to model disease-related neutrophil behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to better understanding of neutrophil roles in disease and pave the way for engineer-ed neutrophils as treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that iPSC-derived neutrophils can be engineered for improved antimicrobial function, supporting potential feasibility.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huttenlocher, Anna — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Huttenlocher, Anna
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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.