Federal Grant Award Summary

Temple University received a $237,751 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded on May 22, 2026, with a completion date of April 30, 2028. The award funds a proof-of-concept research project investigating CRISPR-Cas9 technology to attenuate Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2) while maintaining immune stimulation. The research leverages the expertise of co-principal investigators Dr. Jensen and Dr. Kaminski to develop and validate CRISPR-based targeting of the HSV UL56 gene, with the objective of creating an attenuated viral variant that produces less viral shedding and milder disease manifestations in genital herpes infections.

The project will deliver scientific research services focused on genetic ablation of the UL56 gene expression to establish feasibility of CRISPR-based antiviral therapeutics in HSV infection models. The research utilizes preliminary data demonstrating that a UL56 deletion HSV-1 mutant fails to cause secondary skin lesions while maintaining long-lasting protective immunity against wildtype virus infection in mouse models, and shows attenuation in vaginal infection models. Successful completion of this R21 proof-of-concept phase will generate data supporting the therapeutic potential of UL56 as a target for reducing HSV reactivation frequency, severity, and duration, with implications for limiting transmission to sexual partners and newborns.