Investigating how herpesviruses assemble by studying their protein interactions
HSV/VZV chimeric viruses for identifying critical virus herpesvirus assembly interactions
This study is looking at how herpes viruses put themselves together and will see what happens when they swap a specific gene with one from a related virus, which could help us find new ways to treat herpes infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11002693 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the assembly process of herpesviruses, specifically how certain viral proteins interact during this process. By using a novel method called directed evolution, researchers will replace a key gene in the herpes simplex virus (HSV) with its counterpart from the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) to observe how these changes affect virus assembly. The goal is to identify critical interactions between viral proteins that are essential for the virus's life cycle, which could lead to new insights into herpesvirus biology and potential therapeutic targets.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with herpesvirus infections, particularly those affected by HSV or VZV.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have herpesvirus infections or related conditions may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating herpesvirus infections.
How similar studies have performed: Other research has shown success in using directed evolution approaches to study viral interactions, indicating that this methodology is promising.
Where this research is happening
Iowa City, United States
- University of Iowa — Iowa City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roller, Richard J — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Roller, Richard J
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.