How aging changes the body's response to viruses
Official title: Mechanisms underlying aged host-virus interactions
Funded at University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa · NIH-11173587 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses fruit flies to learn how getting older changes interactions between hosts and viruses, with the goal of helping older adults better resist infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tuscaloosa, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $547,853 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG079962-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173587 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll human participants; it is laboratory research using fruit flies at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
✕Less likely to help
People currently seeking immediate treatments for viral infections are unlikely to receive direct or immediate benefit from this basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
The research team will use the fruit fly (Drosophila) as a model to compare young and aged hosts after infection with an RNA virus (Flock House Virus). They will measure survival, track how the virus evolves in young versus old hosts, and identify host pathways that change with age. Lab experiments will examine both host responses and viral factors that may drive increased severity in older organisms. Findings will point to biological mechanisms that could later be tested in mammals or human-focused studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biological targets to reduce severe viral infections and improve infection outcomes in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Using Drosophila to study host-virus interactions is an established method that has produced useful biological insights, but applying it specifically to age-related viral susceptibility is a newer focus.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chtarbanova, Stanislava — University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa
- Study coordinator: Chtarbanova, Stanislava
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.