How chikungunya virus proteins help the virus infect and spread
Mechanisms of alphavirus infectivity and adaptation - Resubmission - 1
['FUNDING_R01'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11258944
This project is learning how changes in chikungunya virus proteins let the virus spread better in mosquitoes and mammals, which could help protect people at risk of chikungunya.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11258944 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers are using live viral evolution experiments to watch how chikungunya virus proteins (E1 and E2) change when the virus moves between mosquitoes and mammals. They will study infected Aedes mosquitoes and mouse models to see which protein changes increase infectivity, stability, and disease. Lab tests will measure effects on virus fusion, thermostability, and cholesterol-dependent entry, and genetic interactions between viral proteins will be mapped. Findings will be used to understand why the virus adapts to insects or mammals and how environmental factors like temperature and lipid composition drive those changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people in chikungunya-affected areas or patients with recent chikungunya infection who could provide clinical samples for related translational work or future studies.
Not a fit: People with no exposure to chikungunya or whose concerns are about unrelated illnesses are unlikely to get direct benefit from this specific virology-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify viral features to target with antivirals or vaccines and improve understanding of what drives chikungunya outbreaks.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab and animal studies have found glycoprotein mutations that change transmission and disease, so elements of this approach have shown results in nonhuman models but human applications remain to be worked out.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: STAPLEFORD, KENNETH — NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: STAPLEFORD, KENNETH
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.