Gainesville, FL – August 2025 – The University of Florida (UF) Department of Surgery is proud to announce that Dr. Guoshuai Cai, a distinguished researcher in the Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center (SCIRC), has been awarded the highly competitive R35 GM160352 grant by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 
This award, titled “Myeloid‑Derived Suppressor Cells in Immunological Endotyping and Intervention of Chronic Critical Illness after Sepsis,” represents a significant recognition of Dr. Cai’s cutting-edge research on the immunological mechanisms underlying chronic critical illness following sepsis.
About the R35 Mechanism
The NIH R35 award mechanism—often referred to as an “Outstanding Investigator Award”—provides long-term, flexible funding to exceptional investigators, allowing them to pursue ambitious, high-impact research programs without the limitations of traditional project-specific grants. This investment in sustained scientific excellence will enable Dr. Cai’s lab to further decipher the role of immune suppression in sepsis survivors and to design targeted interventions that improve long‑term outcomes.
Research Focus: MDSCs and Chronic Critical Illness
Myeloid‑Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs) have emerged as critical players in the immune dysregulation observed in chronic critical illness (CCI) following sepsis. These immature myeloid cells are immunosuppressive, expand during and after sepsis, and are linked to poor outcomes including persistent inflammation, delayed recovery, increased infections, and prolonged intensive care stays.
Dr. Cai’s work investigates how MDSCs contribute to the persistent inflammatory and immunosuppressive state (often termed PICS: persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism syndrome) and seeks to stratify patients via immunological endotypes to tailor precise and effective interventions.
By enabling in-depth exploration of MDSC biology and patient-specific immune profiles, this award will help uncover novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for intervention in CCI after sepsis. Ultimately, this research holds the promise of transforming care for sepsis survivors, improving survival rates, reducing rehospitalizations, and enhancing functional recovery.
We extend heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Guoshuai Cai for this remarkable achievement and express deep gratitude to the NIH for their support of this vital line of inquiry. The UF Sepsis & Critical Illness Research Center is eagerly anticipating the innovations and breakthroughs that will emerge from this sustained investment in research excellence.
About Dr. Guoshuai Cai
Dr. Cai serves on the faculty of the University of Florida’s Department of Surgery, College of Medicine. His research in the Sepsis and Critical Illness Research Center focuses on immune dysfunction after sepsis, with a special emphasis on MDSCs and immunological mechanisms driving chronic critical illness. More about his work and profile can be found on UF’s Department of Surgery website: https://surgery.med.ufl.edu/profile/cai-guoshuai/.