Understanding how Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus glycoproteins assemble and cause disease
Official title: Reverse-engineering a viral Swiss army knife: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus glycoprotein functions in assembly, entry, and in vivo pathogenesis
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11372981 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how the CCHFV virus builds its outer proteins and how these proteins help the virus enter cells and cause illness in order to develop future protections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $726,996 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI185073-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372981 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals in endemic regions or populations at risk for CCHFV exposure who could benefit from future vaccines or antibody-based countermeasures.
✕Less likely to help
Current participants may not directly benefit until a translational product is developed.
What this research studies
This project examines the glycoprotein components of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) to map how they assemble, function in virus entry, and contribute to disease. Using collaborations across virology, structural biology, and virus-host interaction experts, the study will analyze how viral proteins are processed and organized in infected cells and in authentic virus systems. The goal is to fill critical gaps about virion architecture and pathogenesis that could inform future preventive or therapeutic strategies. All work employs established biosafety settings and leverages advanced techniques to understand virus-host interactions. Findings could guide the design of vaccines or antibodies to prevent severe disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could pave the way for targeted vaccines or antibody therapies to protect people at risk for CCHFV infection.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in bunyaviruses has advanced understanding of glycoprotein processing and virus entry, but CCHFV-specific mechanisms remain to be clarified, making this a novel/untested but promising direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chandran, Kartik — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Chandran, Kartik
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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.