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NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Susceptibility to MS is significantly associated with Class II alleles, in particular DRB1*15:01:01(DR15). Autoimmune response of the self-reactive CD4 T cells to myelin antigens is a major component of MS immunopathogenesis. Several CNS antigens are thought to be the targets for CD4 T cells and there are numerous viral and bacterial peptides that activate myelin basic protein (MBP)-specific T cells. This suggests that cross-reactivity of CD4 T cells might represent one mechanism whereby infections trigger disease. Myelin antigens are widely used to induce Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The actual myelin-reactive CD4 T cells potential cross- reactivity is very poorly characterized. To better define the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and its specificity in MS, we applied single cell paired TCR sequencing method, an algorithm to determine convergence of TCRs across individuals, and a robust platform for antigen discovery. Without enriching the T cells for any particular antigen specificity, we performed unbiased TCR sequencing of activated T cells from the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of MS patients and healthy controls. In MS patients, we found higher clonal expansion and overlap of CD4 T cells in the blood and CSF, convergence of CD4 TCRs among multiple DR15 MS patients with common sequences/motifs, and cross-reactivity to human adenovirus (HAdV) peptide and with MBP. We generated DR15 tetramer with HAdV-peptide and in a small new cohort of DR15 patients and controls show the existence of HAdV and MBP cross-reactive CD4 T cells in the blood. Moreover, we generated a new HAdV-TCR transgenic mice to test hypothesis of cross-reactivity. Altogether, we show that a convergent CD4 TCR from multiple MS patients react with MBP and a peptide from viral origin and these cells can be detected in the blood of patients. Altogether, our results showed that CD4 T cells in MS cross-react to MBP and a peptide from viral origin. Therefore, our central hypothesis is that cross-reactive myelin specific CD4 TCR repertoire in a subpopulation of MS patients is triggered by adenovirus antigen. We will test this hypothesis with the following aims: Aim 1. To assess the cross-reactive CD4 TCR repertoire between MBP- and HAdV in MS patients and healthy individuals. Aim 2. To mechanistically determine the impact of a HAdV- and MBP-cross-reactive CD4-TCR in mouse model.

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Abstract Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled “Myeloid Cells: Functional Heterogeneity with Therapeutic Promise,” organized by Drs. Charlotte L. Scott, Shalin H. Naik and Thomas Fabre, with scientific programming input from Keystone Symposia. The meeting will take place February 23–26, 2026 at the Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colorado, USA. Myeloid cells play crucial roles in the innate immune system, responding to infections and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Despite their significant therapeutic promise, the potential of myeloid cells is yet to be fully realized. This Keystone Symposia meeting aims to bring together key leaders in academia and industry to discuss recent insights regarding myeloid cell functional heterogeneity and how to target these cells for therapeutic interventions. This conference will highlight recent advances in our understanding of the role of myeloid cells in different disease settings, including cancer, infection and other immune-mediated disorders, which will enable new translational perspectives for understanding, treating, and preventing infectious and immunologic diseases. The meeting program will provide opportunities for attendees to gain a deeper understanding of unique and conserved myeloid cell populations across tissues and diseases and explore how these might be leveraged therapeutically. Through rigorous discussions, this meeting aims to outline key questions for future research that will harness the power of myeloid cells and showcase current and emerging technologies. A key feature of this meeting is that it will be co-located with another Keystone Symposia conference, “Hematopoiesis.” This partnership will provide valuable insights into the interconnected roles of hematopoietic stem cells and myeloid lineages in both health and disease. Inclusive poster sessions, panel discussions, shared meals and social activities will promote networking, encourage the sharing of cross-disciplinary insights and provide broader scientific perspectives important for future research collaborations towards the development of successful therapeutic strategies.

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N0038326PR0R076_ FMS REPAIR ACO

OD - NIH Office of the Director

Specific Aims: NAMs Technology Development Center for Women’s Health, “NAMs TDC-WH” The “NAMs TDC-WH” brings together an international multidisciplinary team, from basic scientists to clinical practitioners, lower the barriers for developing new drugs to treat a spectrum of gynecology disorders ranging from endometriosis to heavy menstrual bleeding and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This overarching goal will be facilitated by an existing well-funded core infrastructure at MIT in Center for Gynepathology Research that links clinicians, engineers, and scientists in academia and industry to build living patient avatars for endometriosis, adenomyosis and other gynecology diseases (Figure 1. The living patient avatars that will be rigorously tested and translated in the NAMS TDC-WH have been developed since their inception as “combinatorial NAMs”. Computational systems biology and bioinformatics analysis of clinical data (deep phenotyping and -omics) guided the design and operation of microphysiological systems (MPS) to capture key biological phenomena involved in disease and response to drugs, with performance of the MPS benchmarked against in vivo data. For this proposed project, we expand the computational and the clinical teams to capture a more comprehensive picture of the patient population, including genetic diversity and evolving aspects of the pain phenotype. We focus primarily here on combinatorial NAMs for female reproductive tissues, but include liver and other organ systems, recognizing the systemic nature of these diseases and the requirement that any drugs developed with gynecology tissues as a target require metabolic and safety assessments in a systemic manner. We test the hypothesis that pain phenotypes in humans relevant for endometriosis can be captured adequately via the combinatorial NAMs approach. The aims of the TDC-WH are to (i) elevate these technologies to the rigorous criteria needed for regulatory activities related to planning and interpreting human clinical trials for these drugs (ii) further strengthen the ties to the clinical phenotyping, genetics and bioinformatics communities whose input are needed to design physiologically relevant NAMs and benchmark them against in vivo for specific therapeutic targets (iii) translate the NAMs into use via example pre-clinical use cases in collaboration with Pharma. Finally, in addition to the technologies that have already been commercialized or in the process of being commercialized, we aim to translate the new platform technologies under development into wide availability through commercial partners. This will be accomplished through a comprehensive spectrum of education and outreach activities, including videos, hands-on tutorials, and translation of alpha versions of technologies for early feedback on user experience.

NASA

NASA SBIR Phase I funds innovative aerospace and technology R&D including data analytics, autonomous systems, and advanced computing. Post-reauthorization solicitations expected Spring 2026.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program annually provides grants of up to $1 million to coastal and Grant Lakes states, as well as U.S. Territories to protect, restore and enhance coastal wetland ecosystems and associated uplands. The grants are funded through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which is supported by excise taxes on fishing equipment an motorboat fuel.

National Grid Foundation

Supports energy affordability, workforce development, STEM education, and environmental sustainability in National Grid service areas.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program - Opportunities in NASA STEM FY 2020 – 2024

NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

The NC Department of Agriculture provides grants to farmers, agribusinesses, food banks, and rural organizations for agricultural development, food system infrastructure, farmland preservation, and rural community support.

Washington Headquarters Services

NDEP STEM Open NFO

Nebraska Department of Economic Development

The Business Innovation Act provides grants to Nebraska small businesses and startups for prototype development, innovation, and commercialization of new technologies, supporting the state's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Neighborhood House

Work with middle and high school age youth around the High Point low-income housing community in Southwest Seattle to develop and implement a community needs survey and then create app, website, or podcast projects to address identified needs and build awareness of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers.

NEST+m New Explorations into Science, Technology + Math

Build a science lab equipped with hydroponic farmingtechnology with nutrient film technique, vertical growing systems, integrated pest management, a fish farm and a rain water cachment system.

NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Project Summary The NeuroNauts Scholars program seeks to cultivate the next generation of neuroscience researchers by providing eight high school students with immersive, hands-on research experiences in areas central to neurological health. The long-term goal is to expand the biomedical workforce by sparking early interest in neuroscience and equipping students with the skills to advance our understanding of brain and nervous system function. Under the expert guidance of UWF faculty, students will participate in an intensive eight-week summer program that integrates authentic laboratory research and interactive seminars. The program’s goals are to: 1. Provide hands-on training in experimental design, data collection, and analysis using cutting-edge neuroscience methodologies. 2. Enhance students’ understanding of neural mechanisms including neuroplasticity and neural network dynamics that underlie brain function and the pathogenesis of neurological disease. 3. Develop complementary skills in scientific writing, presentation, and critical analysis to prepare students for advanced studies and careers in neuroscience. 4. Foster a supportive research environment through personalized mentoring, continuous monitoring of student progress, and regular evaluation of program effectiveness. Program outcomes will be rigorously assessed through quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback using an online assessment system (EvaluateUR),, ensuring that the curriculum remains responsive to student needs. By bridging theoretical knowledge with practical research, the NeuroNauts Scholars program directly supports NINDS’s mission to advance our understanding of the brain and reduce the burden of neurological disease, while building a robust future biomedical research workforce.

NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

There have been great advances in microscopic and non-invasive optical neuroimaging technologies, which allow neuroscientists to visualize molecular, cellular and systems-level brain physiology and functions. For the last five years, these technological efforts have been greatly facilitated by the BRAIN Initiative, which also supports the pipeline to commercialization. However, this fast growth has widened the gap between the developers and the neuroscience community in need. This is because to properly use these novel tools, it is important to understand the underlying physical principles and have the practical skills in data collection and analysis. Furthermore, each technique comes with its limitations, and understanding these limitations is critical for avoiding unconscious bias. Thus, although instrumentation may be available, the researchers are often not fully utilizing these tools due to the lack of proper training. To this end, we propose a two-week Summer School program in Neurovascular Imaging Across Scales in Animals and Humans run by the Boston University (BU) Neurophotonics Center. This program will offer hands- on, practical training in a number of optical imaging technologies applicable to in vivo studies in awake behaving animals. In addition, we include a macroscopic, non-invasive optical imaging modality applicable to humans. These technologies will be taught and exemplified in the context of specific neuroscience questions developed by trainees. These questions will be centered on neurovascular brain physiology in heath and disease addressing the mission of NINDS. The program will target graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the beginning of their research projects who started using one of these imaging technologies and want to acquire practical “know-how” skills and gain exposure to other imaging technologies applicable to neurovascular studies. Our primary goal is to create an innovative educational program using neurophotonics as an enabler to understand neurovascular brain function in health and disease. This program will also contribute to broad dissemination of neurophotonics technologies, increase visibility of these tools within the neuroscience community, and promote the emerging interdisciplinary field of neurophotonics and the deliverables of the BRAIN Initiative. The program alumni will fill an acute nation-wide need for neuroscience investigators skilled in state- of-the-art neurophotonics technologies. In addition, we expect the key aspects of our innovative training approach to be translated to other interdisciplinary graduate and postgraduate education programs at BU and beyond. Our best practices and measured impacts of experiential learning will be disseminated to peer institutions and to graduate education stakeholders. Our primary goal is to create an innovative educational program using neurophotonics as an enabler to understand neurovascular brain function in health and disease. This program will also contribute to broad dissemination of neurophotonics technologies, increase visibility of these tools within the neuroscience community, and promote the emerging interdisciplinary field of neurophotonics and the deliverables of the BRAIN Initiative. The program alumni will fill an acute nation-wide need for neuroscience investigators skilled in state- of-the-art neurophotonics technologies. In addition, we expect the key aspects of our innovative training approach to be translated to other interdisciplinary graduate and postgraduate education programs at BU and beyond. Our best practices and measured impacts of experiential learning will be disseminated to peer institutions and to graduate education stakeholders.

New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration

The Colonias Infrastructure Fund provides grants to communities along the US-Mexico border for basic infrastructure including water systems, wastewater treatment, housing, and roads in historically underserved colonias communities.

New Mexico Indian Affairs Department

The Tribal Infrastructure Fund provides grants to New Mexico's pueblos, tribes, and nations for critical infrastructure projects including water and wastewater systems, roads, public buildings, and broadband connectivity.

Regional Council Capital Fund - RC 2

New York Insitute of Technology STEM Capital

Labor

On October 21, 2021, New York State (NYS) Governor Kathy Hochul announced a commitment of $11.1 million in federal workforce development investment to expand the Disability Resource Coordinators (DRCs) network across several Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs). This program builds on previous programs like the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) and Disability Program Navigator, and aims to improve education, training and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, including those receiving Social Security benefits, by scaling up services and enhancing support across nearly all LWDAs in NYS.A key partner in the NY SCION effort is the New York Employment Services System (NYESS) under the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH), which commits $1 million annually to support employment services in participating LWDAs for individuals with disabilities. Through this collaboration, DRCs connect individuals with disabilities to Career Center services, employment referrals, and benefits advisement. NY SCION is currently active in 27 LWDAs, including New York City, covering 48 counties, and has helped more than 11,000 individuals with disabilities access career services to date. The program's ambitious goal is to serve 45,000 individuals with disabilities, significantly improving access to sustainable employment and career pathways.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Next Gen STEM (NGS) NASA Aerospace Skilled Technical Workforce Hubs (NAS_Hub)

NIA - National Institute on Aging

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a progressive condition marked by the narrowing and blockage of arteries supplying the legs, often leading to debilitating leg pain and significant walking impairment known as claudication. While standard therapies exist, their effectiveness is limited, and there remains a critical need for treatments that enhance limb perfusion and function while reducing reliance on costly interventions. Recent clinical trials have suggested that stem cell therapy may hold promise for PAD treatment, yet results have been mixed, with ongoing barriers regarding the optimal cell type, delivery method, and therapeutic targeting. In this proposal, we overcome these barriers by using an autologous cellular preparation (adipose stromal vascular fraction, or SVF), and by targeting the inflow collateral vessels and employing a novel access and delivery strategy to enhance perfusion. We have developed and validated a minimally-invasive porcine model of hindlimb ischemia (percutaneous catheter-based coil occlusion of the iliofemoral and popliteal arteries) which recapitulates key aspects of human PAD and can be a platform for PAD therapy development. We have demonstrated that transvenous periarterial administration (around the porcine aortic trifurcation) of SVF increases long-term arterial inflow to the ischemic hindlimb and improves treadmill performance with respect to sham-treated ischemic hindlimbs. The objective of our proposal is to compare regenerative, cell-based regimens for PAD treatment (including SVF and SVF-derived exosomes) in a clinically relevant animal model of hindlimb ischemia whose size, anatomy, physiology, and comorbidities closely mirror those of human PAD patients. Our central hypothesis is that: (i) delivery of SVF into the peri-arterial region of the aortic trifurcation, in our porcine hindlimb ischemia model, will increase arteriogenesis and improve hemodynamic and functional endpoints more effectively than either intra-arterial SVF delivery or sham treatment; and (ii) SVF vs. SVF-derived exosomes, delivered peri-arterially in the same model, will provide equivalent benefits on the same endpoints. We will test this central hypothesis in three Specific Aims: Aim 1 will compare the effect of transvenous/peri-arterial (aortic trifurcation region) SVF delivery vs. intra- arterial SVF delivery on arteriogenesis, hindlimb perfusion, treadmill performance, and histological endpoints in our porcine model of hindlimb ischemia; Aim 2 will compare the effect of transvenous/peri-arterial (aortic trifurcation region) delivery of SVF vs. exosomes derived from SVF on arteriogenesis, hindlimb perfusion, treadmill performance, and histological endpoints; and Aim 3 will investigate the mechanisms by which SVF or exosomes delivered to the retroperitoneum around the aortic trifurcation drive arteriogenesis. Successful performance of this research proposal should lead to development of arterial inflow-enhancing therapies which would be useful in PAD patients, particularly ones who are not fit, not appropriate, or not willing to undergo a major revascularization procedure.

COLUMBIA PIPE & SUPPLY LLC

Distribution and Conditioning Systems and Equipment and Components

DEPT OF DEFENSE.DEPT OF THE NAVY.NAVSUP.NAVSUP WEAPON SYSTEMS SUPPORT.NAVSUP WSS PHILADELPHIA.NAVSUP WEAPON SYSTEMS SUPPORT

NIIN:013145838/ACTUATOR,ELECTRO-ME

NiSource Foundation

Supports STEM education, workforce development, and community safety programs in NIPSCO and Columbia Gas service areas.