Enteric virus and gut microbes: how bacteria affect reovirus infection
Official title: Enteric virus-microbiota interactions
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11400316 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study from UT Southwestern will explore how gut bacteria and their sugars influence reovirus infection in the intestine, using two closely related virus strains that respond differently to microbes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2008 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $624,194 |
| NIH project number | 5R37AI074668-18 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400316 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is preclinical and not yet recruiting patients; findings could inform future studies in individuals with viral enteric infections.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals with no exposure to enteric viruses are unlikely to benefit directly from this preclinical work.
What this research studies
This project will look at how the trillions of microbes in the gut interact with enteric viruses, focusing on reovirus strains T3SA+ and T3SA-. Researchers will test how microbial glycans and sialic acids affect viral attachment and infection in mice, and how host immune responses shape these outcomes. By comparing strains that are genetically identical except for a single amino acid, the study aims to reveal why some viruses thrive when the microbiota is present while others do not. The work will combine virology, microbiology, and immunology approaches to map host–microbe–virus interactions in the intestinal environment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these interactions could reveal new ways to prevent or treat intestinal viral infections by targeting the microbiota or glycan interactions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows microbiota often supports enteric viral infection, but specific reovirus strains show opposite effects, indicating a nuanced mechanism that this study will clarify.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pfeiffer, Julie K — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Pfeiffer, Julie K
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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.