Mapping the different viruses that live in people across diverse communities
Virome Investigation in Diverse Human Populations
This project maps the varieties of viruses found in people of different ages, places, and backgrounds to see how viral communities change over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Broad Institute, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261057 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will select a diverse group of about 4,000 people from five large U.S. cohort studies and use your blood, tissue, and other samples to look for viruses. They will apply advanced genetic tests (metagenomics and transcriptomics), imaging, and computer analyses to identify which viruses are present, where in the body they live, and how they change over time. The team will also catalog bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) and work to improve methods for recovering viral genomes. Results will be combined into a searchable resource to help scientists and clinicians learn more about viral links to health and disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people of varying ages, races, and geographic backgrounds—particularly those already enrolled in the contributing cohorts or willing to provide blood and tissue samples for analysis.
Not a fit: People looking for immediate treatment for an active infection should not expect direct clinical benefit, since this project is focused on broad discovery rather than providing individual therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this effort could uncover previously unrecognized viruses and patterns that help improve diagnosis, monitoring, or future treatments for virus-related conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier metagenomic studies have found many human-associated viruses, but this nation‑wide, multimodal effort is broader and more systematic than past work and is still breaking new ground.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Broad Institute, INC. — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sabeti, Pardis Christine — Broad Institute, INC.
- Study coordinator: Sabeti, Pardis Christine
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.