Replies

https://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R01-AI110964-01

This project will examine the risk of future coronavirus (CoV) emergence from wildlife using in-depth field investigations across the human-wildlife interface in China, molecular characterization of novel CoVs and host receptor binding domain genes, mathematical models of transmission and evolution, and in vitro and in vivo laboratory studies of host range. Zoonotic CoVs are a significant threat to global health, as demonstrated with the emergence of pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in China in 2002, and the recent and ongoing emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV). Bats appear to be the natural reservoir of these viruses, and hundreds of novel bat-CoVs have been discovered in the last two decades. Bats, and other wildlife species, are hunted, traded, butchered and consumed across Asia, creating a large scale human-wildlife interface, and high risk of future emergence of novel CoVs. This project aims to understand what factors increase the risk of the next CoV emerging in people by studying CoV diversity in a critical zoonotic reservoir (bats), at sites of high risk for emergence (wildlife markets) in an emerging disease hotspot (China). The three specific aims of this project are to: 1. Assess CoV spillover potential at high risk human-wildlife interfaces in China. This will include quantifying he nature and frequency of contact people have with bats and other wildlife;serological and molecular screening of people working in wet markets and highly exposed to wildlife;screening wild-caught and market sampled bats from 30+ species for CoVs using molecular assays;and genomic characterization and isolation of novel CoVs. 2. Develop predictive models of bat CoV emergence risk and host range. A combined modeling approach will include phylogenetic analyses of host receptors and novel CoV genes (including functional receptor binding domains);a fused ecological and evolutionary model to predict host-range and viral sharing;and mathematical matrix models to examine evolutionary and transmission dynamics. 3. Test predictions of CoV inter-species transmission. Predictive models of host range (i.e. emergence potential) will be tested experimentally using reverse genetics, pseudovirus and receptor binding assays, and virus infection experiments across a range of cell cultures from different species and humanized mice.

Public Health Relevance

Most emerging human viruses come from wildlife, and these represent a significant threat to global public health and biosecurity - as demonstrated by the SARS coronavirus pandemic of 2002-03 and an ongoing SARS-like epidemic in the Middle East. This project seeks to understand what factors allow animal Coronaviruses to evolve and jump into the human population by studying virus diversity in a critical group of animals (bats), a sites of high risk for emergence (wildlife markets) in an emerging disease hotspot (China).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01AI110964-01
Application #
8674931
Study Section
Clinical Research and Field Studies of Infectious Diseases Study Section (CRFS)
Program Officer
Stemmy, Erik J
Project Start
2014-06-01
Project End
2019-05-31
Budget Start
2014-06-01
Budget End
2015-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
$666,442
Indirect Cost
$149,585

Practice Essentials
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as illness caused by a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; formerly called 2019-nCoV), which was first identified amid an outbreak of respiratory illness cases in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. [1] It was initially reported to the WHO on December 31, 2019. On January 30, 2020, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global health emergency. [2, 3] On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, its first such designation since declaring H1N1 influenza a pandemic in 2009. [4]
Illness caused by SARS-CoV-2 was termed COVID-19 by the WHO, the acronym derived from “coronavirus disease 2019.” The name was chosen to avoid stigmatizing the virus’s origins in terms of populations, geography, or animal associations. [5, 6] On February 11, 2020, the Coronavirus Study Group of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses issued a statement announcing an official designation for the novel virus: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). [7]

I don’t understand what the upside is supposed to be for “gain of function” research. Why on earth would we (Fauci, NIH) fund this in communist China?

I recall Fauci saying that he had full trust in Chinese (Wuhan) scientists. It’s hard to believe anyone could be so stupid. However, evidence of extreme stupidity from the American left (Communist, Marxist, progressive, liberal) abounds.

I also recall reading that Obama banned gain of function research in the US, as being too dangerous. (True? false?). It seems that Fauci sending the work oversees was an end run to a Presidential directive. It has been revealed that the team (Fauci, Eco-alliance, Wuhan institute of virology) privately suspected a lab leak, but publicly insisted that the virus came from an animal.

What do we know for sure? The NIH funded Eco-alliance, who funded the Wuhan institute of virology to do risky gain of function research. The disease originated in Wuhan China.

Given that gain of function research continues elsewhere, this topic is clearly pertinent to our well-being and even to national defense. Even our one-party MSM press should be interested.