Project Grant R21AI190630

Grant Award Summary

Northwestern University's Sponsored Research Division received a $200,000 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded February 4, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2028. The award supports basic biomedical research focused on identifying and characterizing the role of the ubiquitin ligase TRIM39 in Zika virus (ZIKV) infection and replication. Research outcomes include the development of scientific knowledge regarding host cell factors that facilitate viral infection, with findings demonstrating that TRIM39 disruption restricts both 1947 and 2015 ZIKV isolates and decreases infectious virus production by approximately 3,100-fold.

The research deliverables encompass fundamental investigations into the mechanisms by which TRIM39 interfaces with ZIKV, including characterization of how the viral NS5 protein antagonizes TRIM39 during infection and identification of TRIM39's ubiquitin substrates. These research findings are intended to inform the development of therapeutic targets for combating ZIKV infection, addressing a significant public health priority given the virus's known capacity to cause human disease, mortality, and transplacental infection of unborn children. Research is being conducted at Northwestern University's Evanston, Illinois campus.