Cooperative Agreement AP23OA000000C019

The Ohio State University was awarded a $1.5 million cooperative agreement from the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to expand knowledge of species susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and better characterize the potential for zoonotic transmission. Under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care federal grant program (CFDA 10.025), the University will test the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 evolution through an animal host can lead to variants with altered ability to infect human and other animal species. Specifically, the University will examine how mutations acquired in animal hosts can increase viral entry into human cells and impact viral resistance to human and animal sera. The University will also investigate how SARS-CoV-2 spike protein evolution under animal host selection pressure impacts viral entry into human cells. The two-year project aims to enhance understanding of SARS-CoV-2 spread in humans and animals to improve control efforts such as vaccination development, COVID-19 treatment, and animal surveillance. No subawards are planned under this cooperative agreement awarded August 1, 2023.