Viral RNA regions that decide whether flaviviruses can infect people
Official title: Identification of the untranslated sequence elements and virus-host interactions that modulate flavivirus host-specificity
Funded at Iowa State University · NIH-11308339 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at parts of a virus's RNA and how the virus interacts with cells to understand why some flaviviruses, like Zika, can infect people while others only infect insects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Iowa State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ames, United States) |
| Project start | May 24, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $374,132 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI114720-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11308339 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project is laboratory-based and does not enroll patients; it uses virus samples, cell cultures, and mosquito models at Iowa State University.
✕Less likely to help
People currently sick with a flavivirus infection should not expect direct, immediate treatment benefit from this basic research project.
What this research studies
This project swaps specific RNA regions and nearby viral genes between human-infecting and insect-only flaviviruses and then tests the resulting viruses in mosquito and vertebrate cells to see which parts control host range. Scientists will study how structured RNA elements in the virus interact with viral proteins that copy and unwind RNA to support or block infection of vertebrate cells. The work uses lab-grown human and insect cells and mosquito models to compare how viruses behave in each host. Results are intended to reveal molecular steps that let some flaviviruses infect people while others remain insect-specific.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict which flaviviruses pose a risk to humans and guide development of targeted surveillance, vaccines, or antiviral strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory work, including chimeric virus experiments, has shown that swapping untranslated regions can change whether a flavivirus infects vertebrate cells, but the detailed mechanisms are still being worked out.
Where this research is happening
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Iowa State University
Ames, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Blitvich, Bradley J — Iowa State University
- Study coordinator: Blitvich, Bradley 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.