# Virus-host interactions governing alpha-herpesvirus genome delivery and neuroinvasion

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $605,338

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Spread of neuroinvasive herpesviruses from sensory neurons to the eye, brain, or from mother to
newborn, are significant causes of morbidity and mortality. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) and
pseudorabies virus (PRV) are representative members of the two genuses of mammalian
neuroinvasive herpesviruses (simplexviruses & varicelloviruses). These viruses are dependent upon
spread to the nervous system to establish life-long latent infections, yet very little is known regarding
the neuroinvasive mechanism that underlies this remarkable trait. We propose to study the virus
neuroinvasive machinery with the intent to: (i) decipher how these viruses invade the nervous system,
(ii) understand the intrinsic barriers to neural infection that these viruses evade, and (iii) produce and
characterize viruses lacking the neuroinvasive property as potential vaccines and recombinant vectors.
These studies are designed to identify the virus-cellular interactions that promote virus genome delivery
to the nuclei of non-neuronal and neuronal cells, and the corresponding intrinsic defenses that keep
most pathogens at bay. We include preliminary data demonstrating that this path-breaking collaborative
study has far-reaching medical and biological implications.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9867401
- **Project number:** 1R01AI148780-01
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** GARY Edward PICKARD
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $605,338
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-02-01 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9867401

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9867401, Virus-host interactions governing alpha-herpesvirus genome delivery and neuroinvasion (1R01AI148780-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9867401. Licensed CC0.

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