How ancient viral genes shaped human biology
Hosts Going Viral: Building The Tools And Systems To Determine How Human-Relevant Biology Evolved Through The Capture Of Viral Genes In Our Distant Ancestors
Making new lab tools to find and study proteins made from ancient viral genes that can affect human development and immune function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11324302 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will create high-quality reagents (like antibodies) and laboratory systems to detect proteins produced from endogenous retroviruses in human and animal tissues. The team will use protein biochemistry, evolutionary comparisons across mammals, and B cell immunology to produce and validate those reagents. They will map when and where these viral-derived proteins are present and share validated tools broadly with other scientists. The goal is to move from DNA and RNA evidence to reliable protein-level information so researchers can better understand how these viral genes contribute to biology such as placental fusion and immune responses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people willing to donate biological samples such as blood or placental tissue (for example, women at delivery) or patients enrolled in related studies of pregnancy or immune disorders.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to placental biology or immune proteins, or those not able to provide biological samples, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help scientists discover how ancient viral genes influence pregnancy and immunity and enable new diagnostics or therapies based on those proteins.
How similar studies have performed: Researchers have already identified viral-derived proteins like syncytins that are essential for placental fusion, but systematically generating and distributing protein reagents for many endogenous retroviruses is a newer, less-tested effort.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mccarthy, Kevin Raymond — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Mccarthy, Kevin Raymond
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.