# Establishing laboratory methods for quantitative recovery of diverse DNA and RNA viral sequences from human biosamples

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2024 · $548,660

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The widespread adoption of inaccurate and biased methods has impeded effective analysis and stymied
comprehensive understanding of the composition and dynamics of the human virome. In this project we aim to
develop innovative and novel laboratory techniques and computational methods to overcome the major
challenges in identifying and characterizing human viruses. Our research team has successfully developed and
deployed robust viromics methods for soil microbial communities, leading to a revolution in understanding of soil
viral ecology. Preliminary data strongly indicate that these methods are also effective on human stool samples.
Here, we will first optimize laboratory methods for recovery and quantification of RNA and DNA viruses from
human stool (Aim 1). This aim directly addresses multiple specific interests described in the NOFO by developing
techniques for 1) viral isolation and viral detection, 2) viral quantification, 3) viral enrichment for downstream
sequencing, 4) eliminating environmental background and contaminating sequences, and 5) proper human
sample procurement and storage. We have specific plans to complete this aim by leveraging our research team’s
extensive experience in viromics, software development, and the human microbiome. Next, we aim to
comparatively evaluate stool viromics techniques by applying them to a longitudinal human cohort (Aim 2). Here
we will assess DNA and RNA viromics and other omics techniques for their ability to capture viral dynamics and
develop a computational approach to translate the data generated from different methods to enable meta-
analyses across studies. This directly addresses the specific interest to develop in silico methods to compare
viromes across studies. We will complete this aim by leveraging our research team’s extensive experience
developing, publishing, and maintaining user-friendly and highly used software programs. Finally, we aim to
extend our technique’s applicability to diverse types of human samples, including those with low biomass (Aim
3). Priority sample types will be chosen in consultation with the full HVP Consortium. This work addresses the
key technological and methodological challenges that are currently hindering robust interrogation of the
constituents and functionality of the human virome.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10986854
- **Project number:** 1U01DE034198-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Joanne Emerson
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $548,660
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-20 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10986854

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10986854, Establishing laboratory methods for quantitative recovery of diverse DNA and RNA viral sequences from human biosamples (1U01DE034198-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-02 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10986854. Licensed CC0.

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