Susan Daniel, along with collaborators, Gary Whittaker, David Eliezer, and Jack Freed, have been awarded an NIH R01 grant to study Coronavirus infection

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a major infectious disease threat for humans and animals, with several recent examples of zoonotic transmission including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV. Entry of CoVs into host cells is mediated by the viral spike (S) protein, a complex biomolecular machine that controls both receptor binding and membrane fusion.  CoVs have a novel and adaptable fusion peptide (FP) within the S, which plays a role in the adaptable nature of CoV infection of many types of cells.

The goal of this project is to reveal CoV S function underlying viral pathogenesis using MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV as model systems, looking holistically at the entry processes across scales from molecular to cellular, and integrating together approaches from chemistry, biophysics, biomolecular engineering, and classical molecular biology. This unique and innovative approach within the virology field will lead to a more complete picture of viral fusion and entry mechanisms, which will guard human health during outbreaks. The World Health Organization lists CoV as a top five emerging pathogen likely to cause severe outbreaks, and for which few or no medical countermeasures exist.

Susan Daniel and Gary Whittaker group

Other Articles of Interest