How HIV packages its envelope and spreads between cells
Official title: Identifying determinants of HIV-1 responsible for the nanoscale distribution and dynamics of virus assembly
Funded at University of Denver (Colorado Seminary) · NIH-11325099 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how HIV’s surface protein (Env) gets packaged into new virus particles and moves between cells to help people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Denver (Colorado Seminary) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | May 10, 2018 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $444,776 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI138625-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325099 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant does not enroll patients; the work is laboratory-based using virus samples and cultured cells rather than recruiting people.
✕Less likely to help
Patients should not expect direct personal medical benefit from this project because it is basic lab research focused on understanding viral mechanisms.
What this research studies
Researchers will use very high-resolution microscopes to watch individual HIV Env proteins in three dimensions as virus particles form on cell surfaces. They will change parts of the Env protein’s tail to see which pieces are needed for the protein to be included in new viruses. They will also study cell proteins that move Env to the surface to understand how host factors control virus assembly and cell-to-cell spread. All experiments are done in the lab using virus samples and cultured cells, and the team has preliminary data showing these methods can reveal nanoscale organization and movement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets to block HIV assembly or cell-to-cell spread and eventually lead to better treatments or prevention strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Advanced super-resolution and single-molecule tracking methods have provided important insights in viral biology and the investigators’ preliminary data support that these approaches can reveal Env behavior, though turning those findings into therapies remains a new step.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Denver (Colorado Seminary)
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Van Engelenburg, Schuyler — University of Denver (Colorado Seminary)
- Study coordinator: Van Engelenburg, Schuyler
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Synthetic protein mimetics to treat Lewy Body Dementia
A new therapeutic approach using engineered protein-like molecules to block the harmful protein clumps that cause Lewy Body Dementia.
-
Group-based postpartum depression prevention: in-person vs. virtual delivery
A large study is testing whether the ROSE group program delivered virtually to pregnant people is just as helpful as the in-person version in preventing postpartum depression.
-
Understanding how soft tissue defects fail and rupture
A research project aims to uncover why soft tissue defects rupture by looking at the tiny, local changes in tissue mechanics and biology in models like the mouse carotid artery and stomach.
-
Personalized interpretation bias treatment for anxious kids
A new, child-friendly cognitive tool helps kids with anxiety learn to interpret ambiguity in a less threatening way to reduce worry.
-
Synthetic protein mimetics as potential therapies for Lewy Body Dementia
A new approach uses synthetic protein mimetics to interfere with harmful protein clumps in Lewy Body Dementia to slow or stop disease progression.
-
Lysosome remodeling in cells under stress, from yeast to human health
This grant explores how lysosome membranes change when cells are stressed, with potential implications for diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration.
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.