# A Multifaceted Approach to Study Tissue and Cell Type Specific Molecular Mechanisms of the Host Response to Acute/Chronic Viral Infection

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $30,600

## Abstract

This proposal is for the purchase of the CFX Opus 384 Real-Time PCR System that will
be for the NIGMS-funded laboratory at the University of Miami School of Medicine of Dr.
Emmanuel Thomas (R35GM124915). Dr. Thomas is requesting funding to cover the cost
of this PCR system. The ultra-sensitivity of the Real-Time PCR instrument would provide
the laboratory with day-today capabilities to obtain large data sets of nucleic acid levels
including DNA and RNA biomarkers of cellular function related to antiviral innate
immunity. The laboratory does not currently have unrestricted access to these analytic
capabilities. Additional investment in the MIRA funded project led by Dr. Thomas, from
the NIGMS, would enable his research group to improve and enhance their cellular
analytic techniques to meet and exceed the stated and emergent research objectives.
Furthermore, since the PI is a relatively new investigators only recently receiving his first
NIH R grants, this additional piece of equipment would additionally support him on his
established trajectory of scientific success. Dr. Thomas received his NIGMS R35 grant
in 2017 with funding starting on September 10, 2017. Given that his lab currently consists
of a laboratory manager, a technician and three graduate students, the original grant
budget was distributed to cover supplies and salaries for the laboratory team that includes
the PI, until July 2028. Therefore, funding from the R35 grant has already been committed
to support the daily activities of the laboratory for the next 4 years. Given these budgetary
restrictions, initially, there were no funds available in the budget to request the purchase
of specialized equipment to support the research objectives of the grant. Importantly,
with the R35 currently providing a solid foundation of funding for daily standard laboratory
activities, there is now an emergent need for increased analytic capabilities to support
the research objectives that are becoming increasingly more sophisticated. In Dr.
Thomas' Laboratory, this PCR system would be specifically used for quantitation of
nucleic acid levels to study the cellular interactions that control host defense to viral
infection as cells differentiate from multi-potent progenitors to terminally differentiated
cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11100273
- **Project number:** 3R35GM124915-07S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Emmanuel Thomas
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $30,600
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-09-10 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11100273

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11100273, A Multifaceted Approach to Study Tissue and Cell Type Specific Molecular Mechanisms of the Host Response to Acute/Chronic Viral Infection (3R35GM124915-07S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11100273. Licensed CC0.

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