Understanding how metabolism affects immune cell function in newborns
Official title: Dissecting the role of CD38 and metabolism in the heightened Treg potential of human neonatal naïve CD4+ T cells
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11158529 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the way immune cells in newborns use energy affects their ability to become special cells that help keep the immune system balanced, and it aims to find ways to improve this process to help babies' immune systems respond better to their environment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | June 3, 2025 |
| Project end | June 2, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $47,767 |
| NIH project number | 1F31AI186359-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11158529 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are newborns and infants who are experiencing immune system development and may be at risk for allergic diseases.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than 21 years or those with established immune disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the metabolism of immune cells, specifically naïve CD4+ T cells in newborns, influences their ability to become regulatory T cells (Tregs). By examining the role of CD38, a metabolic enzyme, the study aims to uncover how these cells respond to environmental antigens after birth. The approach includes pharmacological interventions to inhibit CD38 and assess the resulting changes in Treg differentiation. This research is crucial for developing therapies that enhance immune tolerance in infants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for managing immune responses in newborns, potentially reducing the risk of allergic diseases and enhancing overall pediatric health.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in understanding immune cell metabolism, suggesting that this approach could yield significant insights into neonatal immune function.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dwyer, Laura — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Dwyer, Laura
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How cancer cells use exosomes to evade the immune system
This study is looking at how cancer cells use tiny bubbles called exosomes to hide proteins that can keep your immune system from fighting the tumor, and by figuring this out, the researchers hope to help doctors understand why some people respond well to cancer treatments while others don’t, ultimately aiming to creat
-
Reducing harm from smoking using electronic cigarettes
This study is looking at whether using electronic cigarettes can be a safer option for people who smoke traditional cigarettes, by comparing the health effects and exposure to harmful substances between the two.
-
Understanding how knee pain and knee obesity and muscle loss affect knee osteoarthritis
This project looks at how knee swelling, excess knee fat, and muscle loss relate to pain and structural changes in knee osteoarthritis in adults.
-
Cutaneous opioid signals in skin inflammation
A mentor-identified clinician-researcher at UCSF is studying how natural skin opioids regulate itch and pain in inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and hidradenitis, with plans to map where these opioids come from and how they affect skin nerves.
-
Pooling international data to understand long-term bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures
This project combines large patient datasets from multiple countries to understand how long-term bisphosphonate use relates to rare hip and thigh bone fractures, helping doctors and patients make safer treatment choices.
-
Airway cell and immune cell talks in lung transplant failure
This grant tests how airway cells and immune cells interact to drive chronic rejection after lung transplant, with the goal of slowing or preventing scar-like damage.
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.