# Center for the Structural Biology of Cellular Host Elements in Egress, Trafficking, and Assembly of HIV (CHEETAH Center)

> **NIH NIH P50** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2020 · $4,820,552

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Our Center for the Structural Biology of Cellular Host Elements in Egress, Trafficking, and Assembly of HIV
(CHEETAH) studies HIV-Host interactions involved in viral replication, trafficking and transmission. Our studies
focus on four key aspects of HIV-1 biology: 1) HIV assembly and host budding restrictions, 2) HIV transmission
in whole animals and in vitro models, 3) Intracellular trafficking, transformations and restriction of the viral core,
and 4) New directions in viral latency and immune receptors. In each case, we aim to understand: 1) The
relevant molecular machines, 2) The mechanisms by which host pathways are recruited and utilized, and 3)
The structures of underlying tissues, cellular assemblies, and viral components. Two other overarching themes
of the Center are: 1) Studies of dynamic processes, ranging from key molecular transformations in the viral life
cycle to studies of virus transmission and dissemination in whole animals, and 2) Developing and applying
complementary approaches for studying viral and cellular structures across a range of resolutions, spatial and
temporal dimensions, and biological contexts.
In parallel, we are developing and applying tools that will advance important frontiers in structural biology and
HIV molecular virology, including: 1) New approaches for transforming cryo-EM reconstructions, 2) Correlated
light and electron cryotomography (CLEM-ECT) approaches for visualizing viral complexes inside cells, 3)
Imaging HIV transmission in humanized mice and primate tissues, and 4) Designing new proteins that can
mimic viral assembly, release, and entry.
All of these efforts are supported by state-of-the-art Cores for: 1) Producing biological reagents, 2) Performing
structural biology, 3) Spectroscopy and imaging, 4) Computation and data science, and 5) Biological models.
The efforts of our Center are also extended through: 1) Extensive collaborations with other researchers and
P50 Centers, 2) A Collaborative Development Awards program that will fund promising young investigators
who will enhance and benefit from interactions with our Center, and 3) Educational programs for Center
trainees.
Our overall goals are to continue to develop HIV into an unparalleled model system for studying how a human
virus interacts with its host, and to lay the groundwork for the development of new antiviral therapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9993230
- **Project number:** 5P50AI150464-14
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** WESLEY I. SUNDQUIST
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $4,820,552
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2007-08-27 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9993230

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9993230, Center for the Structural Biology of Cellular Host Elements in Egress, Trafficking, and Assembly of HIV (CHEETAH Center) (5P50AI150464-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9993230. Licensed CC0.

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