Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the Regents of the University of Minnesota a $2.0 million Project Grant under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) effective July 1, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2031. This award supports a Program Project (P01) titled "Exploiting Virus and Host Diversity to Define Mechanisms of Cross-Species Infections," which investigates the host factors that control infection of alphaviruses and flaviviruses across mammalian species. The research leverages a novel resource called the "Fibroblast Zoo," a collection of primary dermal fibroblasts from 89 mammalian species, to identify species-specific susceptibility factors and predict viral spillover events into human populations.

The project aims to advance understanding of virus-host interactions that drive cross-species transmission of emerging and reemerging pathogens, including dengue, West Nile virus, and Zika virus. By characterizing how genetic variation in pro- and anti-viral host factors affects viral replication and immune evasion across diverse mammalian hosts, the research will inform public health interventions and contribute to the development of novel antiviral treatments. The work directly addresses critical national priorities in infectious disease prevention and pandemic preparedness, particularly given the rising rate of zoonotic spillover events and the expanding geographical ranges of viral pathogens.