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Integrating biomaterials and genomic tools for glycan-based programming of immune cells

Award Number: F32EB036927
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE Of BIOMEDICAL IMAGING & BIOENGINEERING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2025
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2028

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Integrating biomaterials and genomic tools for glycan-based programming of immune cells - Project Summary/Abstract. Dendritic cells are key decision makers of the immune system and are equipped with receptors that enable them to execute molecular programs in response to foreign signals. Glycans, which bind lectin receptors on the surface of dendritic cells, can influence dendritic cell signaling to adaptive immune cells. Programmable technologies integrating glycans to direct immune cell phenotypes would be broadly useful from both a fundamental biology and a biological engineering perspective. Biomaterials such as hydrogels can present programmable molecular cues and are an ideal platform with which to study the impacts of glycans on immunity and to translate insights into clinical solutions. We will advance self-assembling modular hydrogels that programmably display glycan ligands (Aim 1). These glycomaterials will be screened for their ability to initiate maturation of innate immune cells and direct immune cell phenotypes. We will use immunophenotyping and transcriptomic readouts to screen glycomaterials for their ability to dictate immune cell phenotypes and fate decisions. In parallel, we will implement functional genomic screens in dendritic cells, generating a library of cells with impaired abilities to sense and respond to glycan ligands. We will evaluate cytokine secretion in edited cells following glycomaterial stimulation and compare to responses in wildtype cells. Thus, we will identify key regulators of glycomaterial recognition and subsequent signaling. Finally, we will use glycomaterial hydrogels as a platform for immunotherapy (Aim 3). Glycomaterials will be used to support co-culture of antigen-pulsed dendritic cells and autologous antigen- reactive T cells. We will evaluate the ability of glycan-educated immune cells to provide protection in murine models of melanoma. We anticipate that our approaches will reveal new mechanistic insights into glycobiology and how it shapes immunity. The proposed research will be carried out in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University, under the sponsorship of Dr. Santiago Correa and Dr. Kam Leong. The expertise and facilities in this training environment will strongly enable the proposed research.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $75,520 )
2026	2026	THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK	615 W 131ST ST	NEW YORK	NY	10027	NEW YORK	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	000	2	12/9/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$75,520
														Subtotal = $75,520

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $75,052 )
2025	2025	THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK	615 W 131ST ST	NEW YORK	NY	10027	NEW YORK	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	000	1	11/27/2024	NEW	$73,828
2025	2025	THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK	615 W 131ST ST	NEW YORK	NY	10027	NEW YORK	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	002	1	7/4/2025	NEW	$1,224
2025	2025	THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK	615 W 131ST ST	NEW YORK	NY	10027	NEW YORK	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	001	1	11/27/2024	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $75,052

Grand Total All Awards = $150,572

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Integrating biomaterials and genomic tools for glycan-based programming of immune cells

Award Number: F32EB036927

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE Of BIOMEDICAL IMAGING & BIOENGINEERING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2025

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2028

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