How CHIKV viruses adapt to mosquitoes and cause disease in people
Official title: Mechanisms of alphavirus infectivity and adaptation - Resubmission - 1
Funded at State University New York Stony Brook · NIH-11565949 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how the chikungunya virus changes to become better at infecting mosquitoes and causing disease in humans, with the goal of understanding how to prevent transmission and illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $447,632 |
| NIH project number | 7R01AI162774-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11565949 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people in areas affected by chikungunya or communities at risk of mosquito-borne transmission, where future interventions could be tested.
✕Less likely to help
In the short term, patients not exposed to chikungunya or in regions without outbreaks may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
Researchers study the structural proteins of chikungunya virus to uncover how changes in these proteins affect entry into mosquito and mammalian cells, virion stability, and disease progression. Using in vivo viral evolution, they have identified specific glycoprotein regions that promote transmission and pathogenicity, and they plan to test how temperature and lipid makeup in mosquitoes influence these adaptations. The work aims to map the distinct mechanisms by which viral proteins enable infection in insects versus mammals and to translate these findings toward strategies that block transmission or mitigate disease. This could lead to new antiviral targets or interventions to reduce outbreaks in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Gaining a deeper understanding of how chikungunya adapts could inform development of antivirals or vaccines and help prevent outbreaks in communities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that viral glycoproteins influence infectivity and transmission in both mosquitoes and mammals, supporting the plausibility of these approaches.
Where this research is happening
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State University New York Stony Brook
Stony Brook, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stapleford, Kenneth — State University New York Stony Brook
- 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.