Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Pennsylvania State University, operating through Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, received a $222,457 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855). The award, effective June 3, 2026 through May 31, 2028, supports investigator-initiated biomedical research focused on characterizing the structural polymorphism of murine polyomavirus (MPYV) isolated directly from infected mouse cells.

The research deliverables center on defining the molecular architecture and polymorphic assembly pathways of MPYV particles through an integrated cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and mass spectrometry approach. Specifically, the project pursues two primary aims: (1) characterization of MPYV structural polymorphism during active viral replication using single-particle cryo-EM, cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), and charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) to map the polymorphic landscape; and (2) elucidation of the internal architecture of native MPYV virions, including investigation of genome packaging and the roles of viral proteins VP2 and VP3. These research activities are expected to advance fundamental understanding of polyomavirus assembly mechanisms and contribute to knowledge of viral immune evasion strategies relevant to both basic science and clinical applications.