Immune response and coronavirus in migratory bats
Official title: Interrogating immune response and coronavirus infection in a migratory bat model
Funded at University of Oklahoma · NIH-11269426 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers explore how stress from migration affects bat immunity and coronavirus shedding, with potential implications for human health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Oklahoma NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Norman, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2026 |
| Project end | January 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $210,086 |
| NIH project number | 1P20GM162339-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11269426 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patient recruitment; findings may inform surveillance and prevention strategies benefiting at-risk populations.
✕Less likely to help
Direct clinical benefits to patients are not part of this study.
What this research studies
This project studies migratory Mexican free-tailed bats to understand how stressors like migration, birth, and lactation influence immune responses and coronavirus activity. It combines field sampling, a safe viral mimic as a stand-in for infection, and advanced lab analyses to track changes in immune genes and proteins. The work uses bioinformatics and mathematical modeling to connect bat stress, immune shifts, and viral shedding, aiming to reveal when bats are most infectious. All activities are designed to fit into existing field sites and core facilities at the University of Oklahoma.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of when and how bats shed coronaviruses could inform public health monitoring and outbreak prevention.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has linked stressors to immune responses in bats, with emerging data on coronavirus dynamics, but this project advances through controlled field and in vivo modeling.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Oklahoma
Norman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Becker, Daniel — University of Oklahoma
- Study coordinator: Becker, Daniel
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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.