Understanding why some people keep SARS-CoV-2 infection longer and how to stop it
Official title: Dissecting the drivers of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infections
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11401471 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying why immunocompromised people can have ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infections and how this persistence is linked to changes in the virus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 17, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $844,998 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI171569-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401471 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially those who are immunocompromised, and whose clinical data are available in large NYC healthcare records.
✕Less likely to help
Results may be less directly applicable to patients with typical, short-lived COVID-19 infections or those not represented in the data sources.
What this research studies
This project uses real-world patient data from electronic medical records in New York City to describe how persistent infection happens and which treatments are associated with it. It combines clinical information with genomic and immune system analyses to map how the virus evolves within a person over time. The goal is to connect patient experiences with molecular findings to inform future care and prevent new variants from emerging. The work is translational, aiming to translate observations into better management strategies for patients with prolonged infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to better treatment plans for people with prolonged infection and help reduce the risk of new variants arising.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked intra-host viral evolution to variant emergence, but this study's integrated clinical-genomic approach is expanding on those findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simon, Viviana a — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Simon, Viviana a
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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.