How cytomegalovirus rearranges cells and rotates the cell nucleus
Nuclear rotation and cellular reorganization during Cytomegalovirus infection
This work looks at how cytomegalovirus changes the inside of infected human cells, which is relevant to newborns with congenital CMV, transplant recipients, and people with weakened immune systems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257320 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use live-cell fluorescence microscopy to watch human cells infected with cytomegalovirus over time, tracking how internal structures like the Golgi and microtubules are reorganized. The team follows a sequence of events where the virus builds an assembly compartment, generates acetylated microtubule tracks, and causes the cell nucleus to rotate before infected cells become motile. They will study molecular links to the nuclear membrane, including the dynein adaptor BICD2, to understand the forces and proteins involved. The work is laboratory-based using infected human cell cultures and advanced imaging rather than a clinical trial.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This is a lab-focused project that does not appear to enroll participants, but the findings are most relevant to people affected by CMV—including infants with congenital CMV, transplant patients, and immunocompromised individuals.
Not a fit: People without CMV infection or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new molecular targets for drugs or vaccines that stop CMV from hijacking cells.
How similar studies have performed: The team has already used multi-color live-cell imaging in earlier work to reveal novel CMV behaviors like nuclear rotation, so this builds on promising laboratory discoveries rather than on an established clinical therapy.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Walsh, Derek — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Walsh, Derek
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.