How HPV's capsid protein crosses membranes and moves inside cells
Official title: Membrane Spanning and Subcellular Trafficking Mechanisms of a Viral Capsid Protein- Lessons from a Master Cell Biologist
Funded at Morgan State University · NIH-11500524 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how a key HPV protein crosses cell membranes and whether a small cellular peptide can stop the virus, which could help people affected by HPV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Morgan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $371,500 |
| NIH project number | 7R35GM152143-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11500524 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for any future patient-facing work would be people with current HPV infection or HPV-related lesions, or volunteers eligible for early-phase antiviral studies.
✕Less likely to help
People with conditions unrelated to HPV or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
You will hear about lab work that looks at how the HPV L2 capsid protein gets across membranes and travels inside cells using cell models and biochemical tests. The team will study how membrane shape, tension, ion flow, and the enzyme gamma secretase influence L2 membrane spanning. They will also test a short peptide from the cellular protein SNX1 that recently showed the ability to block HPV retrograde trafficking and examine how SNX-BAR proteins control L2 movement. Together, these experiments aim to reveal steps in viral entry that might be targeted to prevent infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets for drugs or prevention strategies that block HPV from entering and moving inside human cells.
How similar studies have gone: Prior cell and molecular studies have shown that blocking retrograde trafficking can interfere with HPV entry, but translating these findings into human treatments remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
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Morgan State University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Campos, Samuel K — Morgan State University
- Study coordinator: Campos, Samuel K
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.