How the body's first line of defense fights viruses like coronaviruses
Official title: Regulation of Host Innate Immunity Against Viral Infection
Funded at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · NIH-11210633 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers study how innate immune sensors detect viruses and trigger antiviral responses, including how coronaviruses evade this defense, with potential implications for therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $547,735 |
| NIH project number | 4R37AI087846-17 |
| Project ID | NIH-11210633 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with viral infections, especially those affected by coronaviruses, or individuals contributing biological samples for related studies may indirectly benefit from advances arising from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Participation in this grant does not involve direct patient enrollment as described; it focuses on basic mechanisms and may not provide immediate therapeutic options.
What this research studies
This project examines the body's immediate innate immune signals that respond to viral infections and how these signals lead to antiviral defenses such as interferons. It builds on previous work showing how ISGylation and the MDA5 sensor coordinate to start these defenses and how SARS-CoV-2 can interfere with this process. The team will explore cell-type specific aspects of this regulatory mechanism and how viral enzymes disrupt ISGylation to promote viral survival. Findings could identify new targets to boost natural immunity against coronaviruses and related infections. The research is conducted at Cleveland Clinic Lerner, led by Dr. Michaela Ulrike Gack, and integrates molecular and cellular approaches relevant to human health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could guide new antiviral strategies that enhance the body's early defense against coronaviruses and similar pathogens.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work demonstrated a clear role for ISGylation and MDA5 in antiviral responses and viral evasion, suggesting this line of research has translational potential.
Where this research is happening
-
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gack, Michaela Ulrike — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Gack, Michaela Ulrike
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Amyloid and HIV: How aging with HIV shapes Alzheimer’s disease at the cellular level
Researchers are studying how aging people with HIV accumulate Alzheimer’s–related brain changes, to understand who might benefit from future therapies.
-
Placental responses to maternal viral infection shape sex-specific offspring immunity
A mother’s viral infection during pregnancy can change how her baby’s immune system develops, potentially making some babies more prone to infections after birth.
-
Gut bacteria and lung immune cells shape viral lung infections
A study explores how gut microbes affect lung immune cells and severity of respiratory viral infections to identify potential ways to reduce illness.
-
Restoring helper CD4 T cells to help control chronic viral infections
A research project tests a strategy to revive CD4 Th1 helper T cells to better control chronic viral infections like HIV and hepatitis B/C in people who need improved immune control.
-
Screening small medicines to block RSV in baby and adult airway cells
A small study tests whether certain drugs can block age-related signals in respiratory cells to stop RSV infection in infants and young children.
-
Immune drivers of long-term lung damage after viral infection
Researchers are studying why some people’s lungs stay damaged after severe viral infections like COVID-19 and how to stop this scarring from getting worse.
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.