Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded a $462,000 Project Grant to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai on June 12, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855). The award funds a two-year research project extending through May 31, 2028, focused on elucidating how filovirus VP24 proteins modulate ubiquitination pathways and influence viral replication. The research employs CRISPR-Cas9 base editing and proteomics methodologies to identify and characterize the cellular signaling molecules targeted by VP24 proteins from three filovirus lineages: Ebola virus (EBOV), Marburg virus (MARV), and Mengla virus (MLAV). The project builds on preliminary findings demonstrating that MLAV VP24 interacts with deubiquitinating enzymes USP15, USP11, and USP4, distinguishing its mechanism from EBOV and MARV VP24 interactions with importin-alpha and KEAP1 proteins, respectively.

The research deliverables include comprehensive characterization of ubiquitin-regulated pathways targeted by each VP24 variant, identification of pathway overlaps across filovirus lineages, and quantitative measurements of how ubiquitination modulation affects MARV and MLAV infection dynamics. These findings are intended to advance understanding of filovirus pathogenesis mechanisms and may inform future therapeutic strategies targeting emerging zoonotic viral threats. The work is conducted at the awardee's New York, New York location and supports NIAID's mission to generate scientific knowledge addressing infectious disease mechanisms across diverse pathogenic domains.