# Development of Critical Reagents to Combat SARS-CoV-2

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $127,633

## Abstract

SUMMARY
The betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
that has led to a public health emergency and social disruption on a scale not seen since the
influenza pandemic of 1918. This new human pathogen is genetically, antigenically and
phenotypically distinct from coronaviruses that circulate seasonally in humans and cause
symptoms of the common cold. SARS-CoV-2 therefore presents many unknowns. To contribute
to what we hope will be a broad effort on the part of the global infectious diseases community, we
propose herein to generate critical reagents that will facilitate research efforts and accelerate
progress toward filling critical knowledge gaps. Namely, we propose the construction of an
infectious molecular clone of the GA-83E strain of SARS-CoV-2 and derivatives thereof
expressing fluorescent and luciferase-based reporter genes. An infectious molecular clone, or
reverse genetics system, is an extremely powerful tool which allows the generation of viral
variants carrying targeted mutations. This capability will accelerate progress toward critical
research goals. For example, the use of variant viruses carrying reporter genes can greatly
streamline identification of small molecule inhibitors and the titration of immune sera and
monoclonal antibodies. Similarly, the ability to introduce targeted mutations is invaluable in efforts
to map antigenic sites, identify escape mutations, map determinants of transmission and
virulence, and identify viral features important for zoonotic potential. In sum, the reagent-
generation effort outlined herein is designed to rapidly furnish the emerging SARS-CoV-2 field
with an essential tool of modern virology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10145395
- **Project number:** 3R01AI127799-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Anice C Lowen
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $127,633
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-05-28 → 2021-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10145395

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10145395, Development of Critical Reagents to Combat SARS-CoV-2 (3R01AI127799-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10145395. Licensed CC0.

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