Understanding how certain polio-like viruses damage a child’s nerves and cause AFM
Official title: Dissecting host-virus interactions underlying motor neuron toxicity in Acute Flaccid Myelitis
Funded at Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger · NIH-11381028 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how specific EV-D68 viral factors damage motor neurons in kids with acute flaccid myelitis and what might prevent irreversible paralysis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $412,734 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS143998-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381028 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children affected by acute flaccid myelitis, especially those with suspected enterovirus exposure.
✕Less likely to help
Children with AFM due to non-enterovirus causes or unrelated neurological conditions may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at why AFM happens in children after enterovirus infections. Using patient-derived nerve cells, the team will pinpoint which viral components cause motor-neuron injury and how they disrupt normal cell processes. They aim to identify changes in the nuclear pore and pathways related to nerve fiber degeneration that could be targeted by therapies. The study builds on observations that EV-D68 often leads to lasting paralysis, unlike EV-A71, and seeks actionable insights to protect motor neurons.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal targets for therapies to prevent or reduce motor neuron death in AFM.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary iPSC-derived motor neuron data show differential toxicity between EV-D68 and EV-A71, supporting a plausible effect in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elrick, Matthew J — Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
- Study coordinator: Elrick, Matthew 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.