Understanding why some infected cells succeed and others fail to spread a virus
Official title: Harnessing cell-to-cell variability to understand viral infection outcomes
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11383422 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher-led project will study how individual cells decide to stop or continue viral infection, which could help develop smarter antiviral therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $460,359 |
| NIH project number | 5DP2AI154437-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11383422 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to a specific patient group; findings aim to inform future antiviral strategies benefiting people with viral infections.
✕Less likely to help
This study is at a basic science stage and does not involve direct patient participation.
What this research studies
This project focuses on single-cell analysis to uncover why some cells abort viral infection while a few become super producers. Using cutting-edge tools, the team will map host factors that influence infection outcomes at the cell level. The goal is to reveal new cellular antiviral mechanisms and guide better therapeutic strategies. It builds on HSV-1 as a model to connect cellular behavior with viral life cycles. The work could pave the way for targeted treatments that limit viral spread.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to novel antiviral approaches that better block virus spread.
How similar studies have gone: Previous single-cell studies have shown variable infection outcomes, supporting the potential of this approach to yield actionable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Drayman, Nir — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Drayman, Nir
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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.