Understanding how human astroviruses interact with their receptors
Official title: Structural and functional definition of human astrovirus-receptor interactions
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11013376 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how human astroviruses, which can cause stomach bugs in kids and affect people with weak immune systems, get into our cells, and it hopes to find new ways to stop these viruses from making us sick.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | January 19, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $717,595 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI181955-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11013376 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children and immunocompromised individuals who are at risk of severe gastroenteritis caused by human astroviruses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not affected by human astrovirus infections or who do not have compromised immune systems may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the interactions between human astroviruses and their host cell receptors, which are crucial for the virus to infect cells. By using advanced techniques like CRISPR technology, the study aims to identify specific proteins that allow the virus to enter human cells. The findings could lead to the development of new antiviral strategies and small animal models for studying the virus. This research is particularly important as human astroviruses are a common cause of gastroenteritis in children and can severely affect immunocompromised individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments for infections caused by human astroviruses, improving outcomes for affected patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in identifying viral receptors using similar CRISPR-based approaches, indicating a promising avenue for this study.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baldridge, Megan T — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Baldridge, Megan T
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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.