Lab core that makes engineered herpesviruses (EBV, KSHV, MHV68)
"Core C" Recombinant Virus Core
This program makes carefully engineered versions of viruses like EBV and KSHV to help researchers studying viral effects in people affected by these infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285409 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From the patient's perspective, this core creates and quality-controls modified herpesviruses so scientists can study how viral and host non-coding RNAs change during infection. The team builds recombinant virus mutants using bacmid methods and CRISPR-based mutagenesis and then performs genome-wide sequencing to verify each construct. They maintain and re-sequence latently infected producer cell lines to ensure the viruses used in experiments are accurate. The core supports multiple linked projects by supplying validated viral tools and data for lab studies of virus-driven cancers and immune effects.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with EBV- or KSHV-associated conditions (for example Kaposi sarcoma or EBV-related lymphomas) and individuals living with HIV are the patient groups most likely to be connected to research using these viral tools.
Not a fit: Patients without herpesvirus-related conditions or with unrelated chronic illnesses are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this core's laboratory work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve understanding of how EBV and KSHV cause disease and help guide development of better diagnostics or therapies for virus-associated cancers, especially in people living with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Related laboratory approaches are well established and this group has already produced and quality-controlled over 60 recombinant herpesvirus mutants, showing prior success with these methods.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Renne, Rolf F — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Renne, Rolf F
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.