# Pathogenesis & Antivirals for Noroviruses

> **NIH NIH P01** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $450,075

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are a leading causes of gastroenteritis in the United States and globally. The
significant public health burden associated with this pathogen has stimulated efforts in vaccine development and
in the evaluation of antivirals. However, a number of fundamentally important questions on virus pathogenesis
and protective immune responses remain unanswered and addressing these challenges is critical for the
development of effective strategies to prevent and treat HuNoV infections.
In this project, we aim to: (i) Elucidate factors that mediate clinical presentations associated with HuNoV
gastroenteritis; (ii) Develop and pre-clinically test drug-like inhibitors of virus protease and polymerase as
potential antiviral agents; and (iii) Determine HuNoV epitopes recognized by the human immune system during
infection and identify epitopes associated with virus neutralization and protective immunity.
Using clinical data and samples from previous human experimental challenge studies, together with infectivity
assays in human intestinal enteroids (HIEs) allows us to carry out functional and mechanistic on HuNoV
pathogenesis and virus neutralization. The HIE cultivation system also, for the first time, allows us to directly
evaluate antivirals. The findings from this project will therefore provide new understanding of the mechanisms
of HuNoV disease and identify potential targets that can used to treat disease symptoms. Drug-like inhibitors
prioritized through rational drug design and medicinal chemistry will be evaluated for their effects on inhibition of
virus and key factors associated with infection and disease. Finally, identification of antibody repertoires that
correlate with protective immunity and virus neutralization will inform vaccine design and testing. Together, these
studies will enable functional, mechanistic and translational contributions that will reduce the public health burden
of HuNoV gastroenteritis.
.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10897295
- **Project number:** 5P01AI057788-20
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert L. Atmar
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $450,075
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2003-12-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10897295

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10897295, Pathogenesis & Antivirals for Noroviruses (5P01AI057788-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10897295. Licensed CC0.

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