How COVID-19 variants affect different tissues over time
Spatial-Temporal Dissection of Stratified Host Tissue Responses to Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronaviruses in situ to Understand Intra-host Pathogenesis
This project looks at how different COVID-19 variants and related coronaviruses interact with human tissues to understand why some cause different kinds of illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162430 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will examine human COVID-19 autopsy tissues alongside animal models to map where viruses replicate and how tissues respond over time. They will use engineered virus tools (reverse genetics) and advanced tissue imaging to see which cells are infected and how local immune responses operate. Different variants will be compared to identify tissue-specific patterns of infection, immune evasion, and damage. These combined methods aim to link viral changes to real tissue effects that explain differences in disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people (or families) willing to donate tissue samples after COVID-19 illness or patients who enroll in tissue or biobank studies coordinated with the research team.
Not a fit: People looking for immediate treatments or live therapeutic trials are unlikely to gain direct clinical benefit from this lab- and tissue-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide development of better antivirals and vaccines that specifically block how particular variants infect and damage tissues.
How similar studies have performed: Previous autopsy and laboratory studies have mapped virus–host interactions and informed vaccines, but combining reverse genetics with high-resolution tissue imaging across multiple variants is a newer, more detailed approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Sizun — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Sizun
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.