Award
NIH Reporter #2R01NS072381-15A1
Study of the Cellular Basis of Herpes Simplex Encephalitis with hPSC-Derived CNS and PNS Cells
Recipient
UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER, DALLAS, TX, United States
Award Amount
$672,898.00
Ceiling
$672,898.00
Awarded
August 12, 2026
Identifier
2R01NS072381-15A1
Research grant awarded to UT Southwestern Medical Center to study the cellular basis of herpes simplex encephalitis using stem cell-derived CNS and PNS cells, focusing on genetic causes and immune responses in the human brain.
Description
This project focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSE) using stem cell-derived models, with implications for genetic disorders and immune responses in the human brain. The study aims to analyze the CNS-, tissue-, and cell-intrinsic basis of forebrain and brainstem HSE using patient-specific hPSC-derived neurons and organoids, microglial cells, and co-cultures. The research investigates genetic etiologies impairing intrinsic immunity in neurons and the role of microglial cells in anti-HSV-1 defense.