Adipose-Derived Stem Cells as a Model for HCMV Latency
Official title: Development of Adipose Derived Stems Cells System for HCMV latency
Funded at University of Tennessee Knoxville · NIH-11355774 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly model using fat-derived stem cells to study how the herpesvirus CMV stays latent in the body and what could trigger it to reactivate.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Knoxville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Knoxville, United States) |
| Project start | June 24, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $148,519 |
| NIH project number | 1R03AI199793-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11355774 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with CMV-related risk factors or those who are immunocompromised or pregnant may benefit from advances enabled by this model in the future.
✕Less likely to help
This particular grant does not involve testing in patients directly.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a realistic human cell model from adipose tissue to study CMV latency in the lab. Researchers will grow ADSCs and infect them with CMV to see how the virus remains hidden and what signals cause reactivation, using RNA sequencing to compare with other latency models. The goal is to build a scalable, biologically relevant tool that researchers can use to test potential antiviral therapies. The work focuses on understanding latency in human cells so that future treatments can prevent reactivation in people who are most at risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this model could accelerate the development of therapies that prevent CMV reactivation in immunocompromised patients and during pregnancy.
How similar studies have gone: Other latency models exist, but this project proposes a novel ADSC-based approach that could better reflect human biology.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Knoxville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sparer, Timothy E — University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Study coordinator: Sparer, Timothy E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Tissue fission and fusion: how cells shape organs during development
A study in zebrafish will explore how forces inside and between cells drive the splitting and joining of tissue to form body organs.
-
Strategies for HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants to increase organ donations
This project looks at making HIV-to-HIV kidney transplantation more common to help people with HIV get transplants faster by boosting organ donation and changing practice.
-
BRIDGEX: Safer, clearer AI-guided robotic surgery through shared learning
A project to let surgeons and engineers share and improve explainable AI tools for robotic surgery, while protecting patient data.
-
Optogenetic control of bacterial persistence to study biomaterial infections
A small NIH grant aims to use blue light to turn on a bacterial persistence mechanism in a lab model, helping us understand and fight infections on medical devices.
-
How fever and hot spots inside immune cells boost neutrophil defense against Staphylococcus aureus
This project studies how fever and hot spots inside immune cells affect neutrophil defense and bacterial survival, with a focus on Staphylococcus aureus.
-
Conquering Pain Together: A Family-Based Pain Support for Appalachian Breast Cancer Patients on AET
A family-centered program tests a supportive, culturally tailored approach to reduce pain for breast cancer patients on endocrine therapy in Appalachia.
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.