How HIV particles pinch off from infected cells
Biochemistry of HIV-1 Budding
Researchers are figuring out how HIV particles pinch off from infected cells to help find new ways to stop the virus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307098 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You can think of this as scientists looking at how HIV particles pinch off from infected cells. They will study the viral and human proteins that drive that process using structural biology to see protein shapes, biochemical tests to measure activity, high-resolution imaging to watch assembly, and functional assays in cells. The team will focus on host factors like the ESCRT machinery, NEDD4L and Angiomotin proteins, and natural viral inhibitors found in some mammals to learn ways to block virus release. Although most of the work is done in the lab rather than in people, the goal is to find steps in the virus life cycle that drugs could target.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll participants; rather, its findings are intended to benefit people living with HIV in the future.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to HIV, or with infections that do not rely on the same cellular budding machinery, are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this grant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new drug targets that prevent HIV from leaving infected cells and reduce viral spread.
How similar studies have performed: Related laboratory studies have identified host factors like ESCRT and NEDD4L that control HIV release, but turning those findings into approved treatments remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Salt Lake City, United States
- Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah — Salt Lake City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sundquist, Wesley I. — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Sundquist, Wesley I.
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.