Understanding a natural immune defense against flavivirus infections in humans
Official title: In vivo relevance of the Schlafen-mediated innate immune mechanism in flavivirus infection
Funded at University of Texas El Paso · NIH-11345296 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at a U.S. university is studying how a human immune protein called SLFN11 helps defend against viruses like dengue, Zika, and West Nile, with the goal of finding biomarkers and new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas El Paso NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (El Paso, United States) |
| Project start | May 22, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $154,782 |
| NIH project number | 5R16AI167830-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345296 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates may include adults with exposure risk to flaviviruses or human-derived samples required for biomarker studies, under appropriate ethical approvals.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not involved in flavivirus research or whose samples are not part of the approved in vivo or human-based analyses may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This grant explores how the body’s innate immune system, specifically the Schlafen 11 protein, fights flavivirus infections in humans. The work includes examining molecular details of how SLFN11 blocks viruses and whether other SLFN proteins support this defense. It also aims to test whether these findings translate to real-world biology in vivo, potentially guiding biomarker discovery and therapeutic approaches. The study will build on prior data suggesting SLFN11 restricts flaviviruses and will use a combination of cellular models and animal or in vivo methods to assess relevance to human disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could identify biomarkers that predict disease outcomes and point toward new antiviral targets or therapies for flavivirus infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown SLFN11 can restrict flavivirus replication in experimental systems, suggesting this approach could yield meaningful insights, but in vivo relevance is still being established.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas El Paso
El Paso, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Llano, Manuel — University of Texas El Paso
- Study coordinator: Llano, Manuel
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.