Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded $1.595 million to Trustees of Indiana University on June 24, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for a project extending through May 31, 2030. The research addresses the structural basis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) Rev Response Element (RRE) and Rev Assembly, focusing on identifying alternative viral targets for drug development. The project will deliver three primary products: (1) determination of the full-length RRE structure using tRNA-scaffold approaches to expand upon previously characterized stem-loop structures; (2) experimental testing of the sequential and cooperative mechanisms governing Rev protein assembly on the RRE; and (3) development of antisense oligonucleotide and de novo protein inhibitors designed to disrupt the RRE-Rev interaction necessary for viral RNA export and virion assembly.

This research directly addresses a critical gap in HIV chemotherapy by targeting the RRE-Rev complex, an essential yet underexploited viral mechanism. By elucidating the structural basis of this interaction and developing inhibitors, the project aims to suppress HIV replication and reduce viral burden in infected individuals. The work will be performed at Indiana University's Bloomington, Indiana facility and directly supports the NIAID program's objectives to advance biomedical research on infectious diseases and improve public health outcomes against emerging disease threats.