# Flavivirus cellular tropisms driving dissemination and transmission in mosquito vectors

> **NIH NIH F32** · COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $66,390

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The research objectives of this fellowship are to determine the cellular tropisms of three mosquito-borne
flaviviruses of public health importance – Zika virus, dengue virus and yellow fever virus – within their Aedes
aegypti vectors and to define the roles of specific cell populations in viral dissemination and transmission. The
aims are to 1) identify the specific cell populations critical for viral dissemination from the midgut to the salivary
glands, and 2) define the impact of specific tissue tropisms on mosquito feeding behavior and viral transmission.
Aim 1 will be accomplished by generating microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles for midgut, hemocyte and
neuronal cell populations and selecting miRNAs that are highly differentially expressed in each population. We
will confirm infection of cells expressing these miRNAs and generate cell-specific, miRNA-restricted viruses
containing target sequences for cell-specific miRNAs to probe the roles of each cell type in viral dissemination.
Aim 2 will be accomplished by using miRNA-restricted viruses to determine the effect of neuronal cell and salivary
gland infection on mosquito feeding behaviors and subsequent transmission of the virus by observing infected
mosquitoes feeding on mice and testing mice for the presence of virus. The data and tools produced by this work
could aid the development of transmission control strategies that target viral replication in specific cell
populations within the vector. Research and postdoctoral training activities will be undertaken at both Colorado
State University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, CO. The sponsor and co-
sponsor laboratories have complimentary research interests and facilities that will promote the success of this
project. In addition to research, the training plan includes completion of coursework in next generation
sequencing experiment and analysis, grant writing, and responsible conduct of research; participation in
supervisory training; and attendance at various workshops, seminars and conferences to improve writing,
presentation and career building skills.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10231022
- **Project number:** 5F32AI150123-02
- **Recipient organization:** COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Kendra Marie Quicke
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $66,390
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-02-01 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10231022

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10231022, Flavivirus cellular tropisms driving dissemination and transmission in mosquito vectors (5F32AI150123-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10231022. Licensed CC0.

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