How arenaviruses’ defective particles help protect hosts and how our cells control them
Official title: The role of mammarenavirus defective interfering particles in protecting host fitness and the host-driven post-translational modifications that regulate their formation and function
Funded at University of Vermont & St Agric College · NIH-11398196 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how defective virus particles produced by arenaviruses influence infections and the body’s own cellular processes, with a focus on factors that regulate their formation and function in the host.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Vermont & St Agric College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Burlington, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $598,271 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI171408-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398196 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patient participation in this project; the work is conducted in cellular and animal models.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefits are not expected from this basic-science grant, as no patient enrollment is described.
What this research studies
Researchers will explore how host cell enzymes and post-translational modifications govern the production of defective interfering particles by arenaviruses and how these particles affect host fitness and viral persistence in animal reservoirs. Using reverse genetics and advanced molecular tools, the team will map cellular pathways that distinguish normal virus production from defective particles and test how altering these pathways changes outcomes in infection models. The work aims to uncover mechanisms that could be leveraged to influence virus-host interactions and potentially limit zoonotic persistence. This is a basic science project, but it directly targets processes relevant to how arenaviruses interact with human and animal hosts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A deeper understanding of DIP regulation could inform future strategies to modulate virus behavior and host responses, potentially contributing to new approaches for managing arenavirus infections.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has revealed distinct cellular pathways for DIP production; this proposal builds on those findings with new tools to map and manipulate host-DIP interactions.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Vermont & St Agric College
Burlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Botten, Jason W. — University of Vermont & St Agric College
- Study coordinator: Botten, Jason W.
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.