# Rat Resource and Research Center

> **NIH NIH P40** · UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA · 2022 · $241,421

## Abstract

Project Summary
The long-term goal is to provide new rat models for the study of pathogenesis and evaluation of vaccines and
antiviral therapies for viruses like SARS-CoV-2 that use human ACE2 for entry into host cells. We have shown
that the virus does not infect wild type laboratory rats. Therefore, we used genetic engineering approaches to
generate a new rat strain (F344-Tg(CAG-ACE2)057) that expresses human ACE2. We have confirmed that the
rats expressing human ACE2 are highly susceptible to viral challenge, showing severe signs of infection
frequently leading to death within 6-8 days post-infection. The specific objectives of this proposal are to further
characterize the F344-Tg(CAG-ACE2)057 rat strain by using inhalation exposure to test if there is evidence of
post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in this model and to investigate the effects of genetic background and
comorbidities on infection susceptibility. The expected outcomes of these studies are the validation of the ACE2-
expressing rat strain as a new animal model for the study of long-COVID and demonstration that infection
susceptibility is modulated by different genetic backgrounds, including one with known COVID comorbidities (i.e.,
obesity). The expectation is that these studies will show that the rats appropriately recapitulate human disease
following infection with SARS-CoV-2 and offer advantages over existing mouse models due to inherent
advantages of rats over mice based on larger size, genetics and physiology more similar to humans and
behavioral attributes. Importantly, this model will be available through the Rat Resource and Research Center
to facilitate ready distribution to interested investigators. The availability of a new animal model will advance the
understanding of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis as well as accelerate the development of vaccines
and antiviral therapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10597286
- **Project number:** 3P40OD011062-22S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth C Bryda
- **Activity code:** P40 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $241,421
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2001-06-01 → 2026-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10597286

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10597286, Rat Resource and Research Center (3P40OD011062-22S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10597286. Licensed CC0.

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