Wednesday, February 4, 2026 2/4/2026

Structure and dynamics of RNA elements regulating viral aberrant RNA synthesis

Award Number: DP2AI175474
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/08/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2025

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Structure and dynamics of RNA elements regulating viral aberrant RNA synthesis - SUMMARY Seasonal influenza viruses cause >600 million cases annually and hundreds of billions of dollars in losses. Pandemic and avian influenza viruses present an even greater threat because they can dysregulate our immune response and/or spread to and shut down multiple organs. Current evidence suggests that aberrant viral replication contributes to a dysregulating of the innate immune response and the emergence of highly pathogenic strains from low pathogenic precursors. The transition from a low to highly pathogenic virus involves insertion of multiple basic amino acids in the cleavage site of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) surface protein. In birds, this change in HA allows the virus to spread systemically, resulting in mortality rates of up to 100% in poultry. The molecular mechanism underlying insertion of amino acids in the cleavage site is not well understood, but it may involve stuttering of the RNA polymerase in the HA gene, resulting in nucleotide insertions. The viral RNA polymerase can also delete nucleotides from the viral genome, resulting in shorter aberrant RNAs. Recent studies have shown that pandemic and avian influenza A virus infections produce RNA molecules of about 56-125 nucleotides in length, called mini viral RNAs, and that their synthesis is correlated with the upregulation of disease markers. How the RNA polymerase makes such large deletions in the viral genome is not known. This project will use a novel method to stall the viral RNA polymerase during key steps of viral replication and aberrant RNA synthesis, and use state-of-the-art biochemical, biophysical, and structural approaches to reveal the steps of viral replication and genome encapsidation, as well as aberrant RNA synthesis. In doing so, this project will contribute to a complete mechanistic understanding of influenza replication and answer long-standing, fundamental questions about the emergence of highly pathogenic influenza viruses.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2026	2022	THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Trans-NIH Research Support	000	1	1/15/2026	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $984,000 )
2025	2025	THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Trans-NIH Research Support	000	2	9/25/2025	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$984,000
														Subtotal = $984,000

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $1,412,295 )
2022	2022	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Trans-NIH Research Support	000	1	9/8/2022	NEW	$1,412,295
														Subtotal = $1,412,295

Grand Total All Awards = $2,396,295

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Structure and dynamics of RNA elements regulating viral aberrant RNA synthesis

Award Number: DP2AI175474

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/08/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2025

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer