Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded a $817,498 Project Grant to Boston University Medical Campus on June 4, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to conduct comparative research on filovirus pathogenicity determinants. The project, which extends through May 31, 2031, will deliver scientific research services focused on identifying molecular and biological markers that distinguish pathogenic filoviruses—such as Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV)—from potentially nonpathogenic variants including Lloviu virus (LLOV) and Dehong virus (DEHV). The research will integrate findings across three coordinated analytical aims examining viral replication kinetics, inflammatory response magnitude in macrophages, and virulence assessment in humanized mouse models to generate molecular signatures applicable to risk assessment of known and emerging filoviruses.

The deliverables from this project grant include comparative virology research outputs, including viral replication kinetics data, single-cell level transcription and replication analyses via RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), macrophage inflammatory response characterization, and animal model virulence assessments. These research products are intended to advance scientific understanding of filovirus pathogenesis mechanisms and establish evidence-based criteria for evaluating the pathogenic potential of newly discovered filoviruses, thereby informing public health surveillance and threat assessment protocols for hemorrhagic fever viruses.