Tuesday, December 16, 2025 12/16/2025

Mechanisms of sex discrepancy in autoimmune disease: Regulation of the female-biased VGLL3 immune pathway

Award Number: K08AR078251
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS & MUSCULOSKELETAL & SKIN DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2026

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Mechanisms of sex discrepancy in autoimmune disease: Regulation of the female-biased VGLL3 immune pathway - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT An estimated 10% of Americans suffer from autoimmune disease, and the vast majority of those affected are women. This application proposes a five-year mentored career development and research plan for a physician scientist to establish a niche in the field of skin immunology focused on autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus that disproportionately affect women. By investigating the biological mechanisms that lead to this sex bias, the candidate seeks to find new avenues to treat and potentially prevent these devastating diseases. The candidate has demonstrated commitment to research throughout her training and is poised for a career in academic medicine. This award will facilitate the training required to achieve her long-term career goals: (1) Establish herself as an independent investigator and national leader in academic dermatology, with a career focused on cutaneous immunology, (2) Establish a programmatic line of funded research to improve understanding of cutaneous immunology and identify new therapeutic targets in female-biased autoimmune disease, and (3) Learn to provide dedicated mentorship to foster career development of trainees at all levels. Career development plan: Through formal coursework, didactic seminars, and hands-on training from mentors and their lab personnel, the candidate will attain the scientific and career development training needed to achieve these goals. She proposes to acquire specific scientific skills in systems biology applications, mouse modeling of complex human disease, and approaches for study of cutaneous and systemic immunology. Simultaneously, she will pursue her career development goals of integrating with the scientific community, enhancing leadership and mentoring skills, and acquiring practical skills for the ethical conduct of translational research. Environment: The candidate is a clinical lecturer at the University of Michigan working in the cutaneous immunology laboratory of Dr. Johann Gudjonsson. She plans to expand her mentorship circle through this grant to include international experts on lupus and mouse models of human disease. She has ample access to state- of-the-art facilities and equipment, hands-on training and guidance from other physician scientist mentors, and strong support for career and laboratory development from the Department of Dermatology. Research design: The proposed scientific aims will foster the candidate's career development goals while determining how the female-biased factor VGLL3 drives autoimmune disease in the skin of women. AIM 1 will define how VGLL3 interacts with transcription factors to promote autoimmunity by integrating human cell culture and transgenic mouse studies with a systems biology approach. AIM 2 will use proteomics data and validation by siRNA-mediated knockdown to identify factors governing VGLL3 activity in human skin cells from patients of both sexes with and without lupus. AIM 3 will determine how VGLL3 interfaces with the oncogene YAP in driving autoimmunity and test a potential therapy in lupus patient skin cells and mice with lupus-like disease.


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 = -$21,600 )
2026	2025	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	1109 GEDDES AVE STE 3300	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	5	12/12/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$21,600
														Subtotal = -$21,600

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $176,948 )
2025	2025	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	1109 GEDDES AVE STE 3300	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	5	8/8/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$176,948
														Subtotal = $176,948

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $177,162 )
2024	2024	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	1109 GEDDES AVE, SUITE 3300	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	4	8/8/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$177,162
														Subtotal = $177,162

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $177,368 )
2023	2023	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	1109 GEDDES AVE, SUITE 3300	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	3	7/17/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$177,368
														Subtotal = $177,368

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $177,568 )
2022	2022	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	503 THOMPSON ST	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	2	7/15/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$177,568
														Subtotal = $177,568

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $177,762 )
2021	2021	REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN	503 THOMPSON ST	ANN ARBOR	MI	48109	WASHTENAW	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	1	7/22/2021	NEW	$177,762
														Subtotal = $177,762

Grand Total All Awards = $865,208

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Mechanisms of sex discrepancy in autoimmune disease: Regulation of the female-biased VGLL3 immune pathway

Award Number: K08AR078251

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS & MUSCULOSKELETAL & SKIN DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2026

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer