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Principal Investigator: Scott C Weaver
Organization: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
Fiscal Year: 2023
Award: $987,497
Funding agency: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
ABSTRACT
As underscored by pandemic COVID-19, Zika, yellow fever and chikungunya viruses, new and emerging
viruses represent increasing threats to human health, yet their mechanisms of emergence remain poorly
understood, and effective interventions are not available for most. Research on their pathogenesis, ecology,
evolution, epidemiology, emergence mechanisms, diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics remain critical public
health needs. The World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses (WRCEVA) comprises a
comprehensive, diverse collection of over 8,000 virus strains in 21 families, as well as antisera, antigens,
cDNA clones and other reagents to enable research worldwide. Approximately 400 new virus strains are added
annually, and 1000 viruses and reagents are shipped annually. The WRCEVA also maintains broad expertise
in both novel and traditional approaches to virus identification and characterization, and provides critical
support for emergency outbreak responses as exemplified by the rapid generation and distribution of critical
COVID and Zika reagents. This proposal seeks to continue these WRCEVA activities in support of NIH-funded
and other research on emerging viruses worldwide, through five Specific Aims:
1. Maintain a comprehensive set of emerging viruses, arboviruses and associated reagents to support
research and surveillance. The virus collection as well as antigens, antibodies, cDNA clones and other
reagents will be continually enhanced to capitalize on new emergence trends and technologies. Emphasis
during the first two years will be placed on the development of critical reagents for coronavirus research.
2. Discover, isolate and characterize newly acquired viruses to determine relationships and taxonomic
assignments, and to assess in vitro and in vivo host range. Clinical and field samples as well as viral
isolates will be received for identification and characterization, and added to the repository. Critical
phenotypes of newly discovered viruses and strains will be assessed by using in vitro and in vivo infections.
3. Perform sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of selected virus groups to determine evolutionary
histories and emergence mechanisms, patterns of spread/infection, and to rapidly determine the
sources of new outbreaks. Key virus strains will undergo genomic sequencing to generate databases that
can be exploited for the rapid determination of new outbreak sources, including potential bioterrorism.
4. Determine why yellow fever virus has not caused major urban epidemics in South America for many
decades, or ever in Asia. Our unique collection of virus strains and arbovirology expertise will be used to
examine hypotheses related to limitations on urban transmission by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
5. Train scientists in the identification and characterization of emerging viruses. To enhance research
and surveillance in the U.S. and worldwide, the most efficient way to limit spread of new outbreaks, training
in virus identification, characterization, and diagnostics will be provided to visiting scientists.
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Cryomicroscopy><Electron Microscopy><Emergencies><Emergency Situation><Emergency response><Epidemic><Epidemiology><Evolution><Family><Flavivirus><Foundations><Funding><General Taxonomy><Generalized Growth><Generations><Genetic Diversity><Genetic Variation><Genomics><Goals><Group B Arbovirus><Growth><Health><History><Human><Immune Sera><In Vitro><Infection><Institution><International><Intervention><Intervention Strategies><Laboratories><Location><MERS corona virus><MERS coronavirus><MERS virus><MERS-CoV><Methods><Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus><Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus><Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Virus><Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-CoV><Middle East Respiratory coronavirus><Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus><Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus><Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Virus><Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome-CoV><Modern Man><Mosquitoes><NGS Method><NGS system><NIAID><NIH><National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease><National Institutes of Health><New York><Pathogenesis><Pattern><Phenotype><Phylogenetic Analysis><Phylogenetics><Play><Principal Investigator><Public Health><Qualifying><Reagent><Recording of previous events><Research><Research Support><Role><SARS corona virus 2><SARS-CO-V2><SARS-COVID-2><SARS-CoV-2><SARS-CoV-2 epidemic><SARS-CoV-2 global health crisis><SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic><SARS-CoV-2 pandemic><SARS-CoV2><SARS-CoV2 epidemic><SARS-CoV2 pandemic><SARS-associated corona virus 2><SARS-associated coronavirus 2><SARS-coronavirus-2><SARS-coronavirus-2 epidemic><SARS-coronavirus-2 pandemic><SARS-related corona virus 2><SARS-related coronavirus 2><SARSCoV2><Sampling><Scientist><Serology><Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome CoV 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Corona Virus 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Coronavirus 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 epidemic><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 pandemic><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-associated coronavirus 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related coronavirus 2><Severe acute respiratory syndrome associated corona virus 2><Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2><Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic><Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic><Severe acute respiratory syndrome related corona virus 2><Source><South America><Taxonomy><Technology><Testing><Therapeutic><Tissue Growth><Training><Transmission><United States National Institutes of Health><Universities><Vaccine Design><Vaccines><Viral><Viral Diseases><Viral Genome><Virus><Virus Diseases><Visit><Wuhan coronavirus><Yellow Fever><Yellow fever virus><ZIKA><Zoonoses><Zoonotic><Zoonotic Infection><anthropogenesis><anthropogenic><antibody based diagnostic><antibody diagnostic><arthropod transmission><arthropod 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