# Core 1 - Structural Biology Core

> **NIH NIH U54** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $890,349

## Abstract

Abstract – Core 1 – Structural Biology Core
Approximately 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS; however, a protective vaccine or functional
cure remain elusive despite four decades of intense research. HIV-1 evades the immune system through its
rapid structural evolution during infection and replication. The Duke Center for HIV Structural Biology will pursue
structural studies of the evolution of the HIV-1 Envelope (Env) protein to elucidate structure-function mechanisms
for viral entry, B-cell and T-cell activation, and viral rebound after antiretroviral therapy ART. The Structural
Biology Core (Core 1) will support the overall mission of the Center by establishing a state-of-the-art pipeline for
structural analysis of HIV-1 Env using a wide range of experimental techniques. The Core will provide access to
cutting-edge techniques for structure determination and have a strong component of technology development
that will ultimately advance our mechanistic understanding of Env. The research projects will benefit from having
access to established protocols for structure determination as well as new methods resulting from the technology
development efforts of the core. The Specific Aims of the Structural Biology Core are 1) to establish a high-
throughput pipeline for routine characterization of the structure and dynamics of soluble HIV-1 trimers using high-
resolution single-particle cryo-EM; 2) to develop advanced workflows for structural analysis of native HIV-1
samples imaged in-situ using cryo-electron tomography (ET) at near-atomic resolution; and 3) to establish
structural methods for microsecond time resolution structural studies of HIV-1 Env. Completion of the three
proposed aims will provide a solid infrastructure in structural biology needed to support the overall goals of the
Center and its components. By providing access to state-of-the-art technology for the determination of structures
of HIV-1 at the highest possible spatial and temporal resolution, will provide unique opportunities for visualizing
key intermediates that could inform our understanding of HIV viral infection.
The ability to determine high-resolution structures of soluble or native forms of Env will be critical to improve our
understanding of HIV. The technologies developed as part of the Structural Biology Core will have implications
beyond the field of HIV and would benefit structural studies of other biological systems. By making our tools
available to the structural biology community, the activities of the core will have an even wider impact.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10506664
- **Project number:** 1U54AI170752-01
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Priyamvada Acharya
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $890,349
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-06-14 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10506664

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10506664, Core 1 - Structural Biology Core (1U54AI170752-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10506664. Licensed CC0.

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