Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome
NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
About This Grant
Despite years of study, human susceptibility to chronic disease is still not fully understood, compelling the continued search for modifiable risk factors. One previously hidden variable in human health is the human virome. Advances in genome sequencing technology have begun to reveal a vast array of viruses that reside within the body without causing overt symptoms, and early evidence indicates that this collection of viruses can drive distinct health states which impact susceptibility to many common diseases, ranging from autoimmunity to cardiovascular disease to cancer. Understanding how the virome influences human health will lead to new strategies to prevent and treat common, impactful diseases. However, the first step towards uncovering these connections is being able to accurately observe, characterize, and quantify the human virome. The goal of this project is to develop new strategies to characterize the human virome by tackling major technological limitations in the field. While advances in next generation sequencing (NGS) technology have fueled exciting discoveries in the human virome research, there are clear knowledge gaps, which include lack of information about (1) eukaryotic cell infecting viruses, (2) RNA viruses, and (3) the virome within human tissues, including the cells and locations in which viruses of the virome reside. Here we will address these knowledge gaps by developing new methods to interrogate the human virome, focusing on the human tonsil. We chose the tonsil, a secondary lymphoid organ, due to the likely importance of the virome of lymphoid organs in shaping immune responses, the availability of human tonsil tissue for research, and the high detection rate of eukaryotic viruses in tonsils, supporting feasibility. This project will pioneer two approaches to address knowledge gaps in the field. First, we will enhance detection of the eukaryotic cell- infecting virome by amplifying viruses using epithelial and tonsil organoid cultures. Based on prior work, we expect that viruses infecting these tissue types will be prevalent in human tonsils, including RNA respiratory viruses, which predominantly replicate in epithelial cells and enter the tonsil during acute infection, but can persist long-term post-acute infection, and DNA viruses that infect lymphocytes, the predominant cell type in tonsils. We will enhance detection of viruses that replicate in epithelia in Aim 1 using airway epithelial organoid cultures, and viruses that replicate in tonsil cells using tonsil organoid culture in Aim 2. Second, we will map viral sequences to host cells or spatial locations within the tonsil using single cell sequencing (ScSeq) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) using a novel strategy. Data from Aims 1 and 2 will reveal viral RNAs present in each tonsil donor, including genomes of RNA viruses and viral mRNA from biologically active DNA viruses. In Aim 3, we will use this information to create custom primers to amplify viral reads during ScSeq and ST library preparation, allowing us to identify the host cells and spatial locations of viral reads within tonsil tissue. Together these Aims will advance methods to observe and understand the tissue-resident human virome.
Grant Summary
Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome is a NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research grant providing up to $588K for university, nonprofit, healthcare org. Applications are due 2030-01-31 (open). Check eligibility and apply with FindGrants.
Focus Areas
Eligibility
How to Apply
Up to $588K
2030-01-31
- 1Confirm your organization is eligible for Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome from NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, checking organization type, location, and any population or project requirements.
- 2Gather the required documents and information, including your organization details, project plan, and budget figures.
- 3Draft your application narrative and budget addressing the funder's priorities and review criteria. FindGrants can draft each section for you to review and edit.
- 4Review every section against the requirements checklist, then export a submission-ready application pack and submit it to NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research before the deadline.
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Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome?
Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome is offered by NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and is generally open to university, nonprofit, healthcare org. It is open to organizations nationwide unless the funder specifies otherwise. Review the specific eligibility terms before applying, since funders set their own requirements around organization type, location, and the population or project being served.
How much funding does the Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome provide?
Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome provides up to $588K per award from NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Actual award sizes depend on the scope of your project, available program funds, and the number of applicants, so build a budget that reflects realistic, allowable costs rather than the maximum figure.
When is the Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome deadline?
Applications for Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome are due 2030-01-31 (open). Because deadlines can change, verify the date with the funder, NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and give yourself enough time to prepare a complete, competitive application before the close date.
How do you apply for the Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome?
To apply for Leveraging primary cell and organoid culture to identify and map the human virome, confirm your eligibility, gather the required documents, and prepare a narrative and budget that address the funder's priorities. FindGrants guides you step by step and can draft each section, then exports a submission-ready application pack for this grant from NIDCR - National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.