A arenavirus puzzle: how LCMV capsid and RNA come together
Official title: Study of arenavirus assembly
Funded at Georgia State University · NIH-11355395 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist-led project at a U.S. university studies how the LCMV virus builds its protective shell to better understand how this rodent-borne virus could cause disease in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | July 20, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $530,843 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI171426-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11355395 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be researchers and clinicians interested in arenavirus biology and antiviral development; patient participation is not required for this basic science grant.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient participation or benefit is not part of this basic research grant.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine the 3-D structures and interactions of LCMV components to reveal how the nucleocapsid forms and how it connects with viral membranes. The work uses advanced modeling and imaging to map how NP, L RdRp, and GP/Z proteins assemble into the viral particle. This knowledge could lay the groundwork for future antiviral strategies rooted in the architecture of this human pathogen. The project focuses on basic biology to fill gaps in our understanding of arenavirus assembly and structure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: In the long term, the findings could inform the development of antiviral approaches that disrupt arenavirus assembly and replication, potentially reducing disease risk from this pathogen.
How similar studies have gone: Previous structural studies have advanced knowledge of viral proteins, but how these components assemble into nucleocapsids in arenaviruses remains incompletely understood, making this project exploratory but grounded in prior work.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia State University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luo, Ming — Georgia State University
- Study coordinator: Luo, Ming
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.