How non-polio enteroviruses build their outer shell
Official title: Understanding the fundamental enterovirus capsid assembly and maturation pathway.
Funded at University of Leeds · NIH-11285159 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are learning how non-polio enteroviruses build and mature their protective shell so we can better prevent illnesses like hand, foot and mouth disease and flaccid myelitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Leeds NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (England, UNITED KINGDOM) |
| Project start | March 14, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $573,719 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI169457-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285159 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People affected by non-polio enterovirus infections—such as those with hand, foot and mouth disease, flaccid myelitis, or encephalitis—are most directly connected to the goals of this work, although the project itself is lab-based and does not enroll participants.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with unrelated conditions or those needing immediate clinical care should not expect direct benefit from this laboratory research.
What this research studies
Scientists are examining how enterovirus proteins are cut and put together to form the virus's protective shell, focusing on the short-lived 'provion' step when the shell finalizes. They use laboratory experiments, biochemical assays, and structural techniques to watch how pieces called VP0, VP3 and VP1 assemble and how VP0 is cleaved into VP4 and VP2. By describing these steps in detail the team aims to find weak points in the virus life cycle that could be targeted by drugs or vaccines. The work is conducted in the lab at the University of Leeds and does not enroll patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal vulnerable steps in virus assembly that lead to new antivirals or vaccine strategies against non-polio enteroviruses.
How similar studies have gone: Related biochemical and structural studies have identified antiviral targets for other viruses, but the provion stage and VP0 cleavage in non-polio enteroviruses remain poorly understood.
Where this research is happening
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University of Leeds
England, United Kingdom Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stonehouse, Nicola J — University of Leeds
- Study coordinator: Stonehouse, Nicola J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Investigating how enteroviruses assemble and mature
This study is looking at how enteroviruses, which can make young children very sick, come together and grow, with the goal of finding new ways to create medicines that can help fight these infections.
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.