Creating new protein treatments for COVID-19 and future viral outbreaks
De Novo Design of Minibinder Antagonists for COVID-19 and Future Pandemics
This research aims to quickly create new protein-based medicines to fight COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11164682 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our goal is to develop effective and affordable treatments for COVID-19, as well as a rapid method to create similar medicines for any new virus that emerges. We believe that using computer design, we can quickly create tiny proteins that are very good at stopping viruses and calming the severe immune reactions, like 'cytokine storms,' that can happen with advanced infections. These new medicines could potentially save many lives during an outbreak before vaccines become widely available.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients, but future clinical trials stemming from this work would likely target individuals with acute viral infections or those at risk of severe disease.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have acute viral infections or are not at risk for severe respiratory distress would not directly benefit from this specific therapeutic approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, rapidly deployable treatments for severe viral infections like COVID-19, potentially reducing illness and mortality.
How similar studies have performed: While the computational design of miniproteins is an emerging field, similar approaches have shown promise in laboratory settings for other diseases, making this a novel application with a strong scientific basis.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baker, David — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Baker, David
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 below.