Federal Grant Award Summary

The Ohio State University received a $433,125 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded July 1, 2026, with completion targeted for June 30, 2028. The project delivers a comprehensive subcellular proteome dataset mapping protein responses to influenza infection in intact human lung tissue. The research employs a novel promiscuous biotin-ligase technology called MicroID2 integrated into adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors with organelle-targeting sequences to examine protein-protein interactions and subcellular localization changes during viral infection. Deliverables include optimized AAV vector constructs for human precision-cut lung slice transduction, validated localization efficiency for targeted MicroID2 constructs across multiple subcellular organelles, and an optimized biotinylation methodology applicable to individual constructs.

The project generates novel scientific knowledge with potential therapeutic applications by identifying differentially regulated viral and host proteins within specific cellular compartments (endoplasmic reticulum and cytoplasm) that may inform development of new influenza treatments. This research addresses a significant public health need, as influenza results in approximately 47,000 deaths annually in the United States and up to 650,000 deaths worldwide. The work fills a critical gap in existing literature by providing the first subcellular proteome analysis during influenza infection in intact human tissue, establishing foundational data for future drug discovery and therapeutic intervention strategies.