\u201cThe core of what we do is to analyze and study the structures of viruses and antibodies,\u201d Kuhn said. \u201cWe are working to understand what the important features of an antibody are that makes it effective at neutralizing \u2014 blocking \u2014 the virus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As part of the team in 2017 that mapped the structure of a human antibody that could potently block the Zika virus<\/a>, as well as the recipient of this major grant from NIAIAD, Kuhn is one of the foremost scouts in the fight against viral diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A virus is, arguably, the smallest possible living thing. It is a bundle of DNA or RNA bound up in a minuscule core, sometimes surrounded by a sturdy envelope and sometimes not. It can reproduce, but not by itself. It relies on an outside partner to reproduce: a plant, animal or even a fungus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his lab in Purdue\u2019s Department of Biological Sciences<\/a>, Kuhn studies specifically RNA viruses, particularly those spread by mosquitoes and ticks, including alphaviruses like chikungunya and eastern equine encephalitis, and flaviviruses like Zika, dengue fever, West Nile and yellow fever. His research involves studying the structure of viruses and how they interface with the cells of their hosts\u2019 bodies \u2014 hence the mapping of the Zika antibodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That structural understanding is key to being able to create vaccines and treatments for viruses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith the experience during the pandemic, there is more of a focus on viruses globally,\u201d Kuhn said. \u201cSince the 1970s, at least, there has been a steady stream of known and emerging viruses, including HIV, Ebola and, of course, influenza comes back every year, sometimes with significant effect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As climate change increases temperatures and the world becomes more global and interconnected, viruses become more prevalent and have vastly more opportunities to mutate and jump from animal to human hosts. As such, many tick- and mosquito-borne diseases like the ones Kuhn studies are becoming more of an outbreak risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a coronavirus. Before the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, doctors and researchers were already familiar with other coronaviruses and were well on their way to understanding how to build a vaccine for COVID-19. That\u2019s in part why research teams were able to develop effective vaccines so quickly. But all sorts of viruses cause outbreaks and epidemics \u2014 not just coronaviruses. Flaviviruses, carried by ticks and mosquitoes, might very well be among the next epidemics humanity faces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDespite all the human tragedy, SARS-CoV-2 was a relatively simple target in terms of quickly developing a very effective vaccine,\u201d Kuhn said. \u201cThere were features of the virus that made developing a vaccine relatively easy. The next pandemic may not be like that. It\u2019s not going to be like in the movie \u2018Contagion,\u2019 where they develop a vaccine in two weeks. The more work we can do now, the more it will pay off in case of a novel pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kuhn is co-lead of the Flavivirus and Alphavirus ReVAMPP (FLARE) grant, which will help direct efforts to understand the physical dynamics of flaviviruses and alphaviruses in preparation for a potential pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They may not be crossing the bridge before they come to it, but they\u2019re certainly amassing the timbers and bolts and drawing up the plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe whole idea here is to understand what we need to do in order to develop a vaccine against known and unknown viruses in this group,\u201d Kuhn said. \u201cWe are not developing any specific vaccine for any one virus; we are developing platforms so that when the next virus comes along, we\u2019ll be able to rapidly develop an effective vaccine for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n FLARE incorporates researchers from 16 other academic institutions alongside Purdue and WashU Medicine, as well as industry partners. They are studying five viruses that represent the major subgroups of flaviviruses and alphaviruses, including West Nile, tick-borne encephalitis, dengue, chikungunya and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Multiple teams of experts are targeting the viruses from a range of angles to convene on the most efficient and effective solutions. Teams are working on traditional vaccine delivery systems, as well as mRNA vaccines, nanoparticle-based vaccines and antibody-based treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s one of the beauties of science today \u2014 it\u2019s not one scientist in a lab working alone,\u201d Kuhn said. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing network of hundreds of people across the country working in a coordinated way. I think that\u2019s one of the exciting things about this award. It brings experts from all over the place. All of the leaders in the field are involved in this grant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As well as being co-lead over the full grant, Kuhn also heads up one of the grant\u2019s main goals, or cores: that of the structural biology of the antibodies and viruses themselves. Increasing resolution in microscopes and other tools allows scientists to better see the virus and more rapidly identify possible routes for vaccines and treatments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf we take dengue virus, a very important human pathogen that affects up to 400 million people a year, there are certain features on the virus surface that antibodies like to recognize to prevent virus infections,\u201d Kuhn said. \u201cEven if we have an unknown virus of the same group, we can predict where the same type of residues are going to be and computationally design an antibody around that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kuhn\u2019s team is using AI as well as increased abilities to visualize viruses to pinpoint the most effective and efficient routes for vaccines. Just as the resolutions of modern telescopes, like the James Webb Space Telescope<\/a>, are allowing astronomers to peer ever more deeply and clearly into space, the tools to look at small things are improving. The increased resolution means that rather than guessing, scientists can quickly see and theorize what parts of the virus to target, drastically decreasing the amount of time it takes to address a viral infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are using the most modern tools and a team of the best experts to understand how the human immune system can be primed and targeted for the fastest, most effective response against viral pathogens,\u201d Kuhn said. \u201cOur primary responsibility is to improve human health in the U.S. and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This work is part of Purdue\u2019s One Health<\/a> initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue\u2019s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap \u2014 including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the\u202fMitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative\u202f\u2014 at https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/president\/strategic-initiatives<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\nViral threats: Tiny entities, big problems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Antibodies assemble: Grant brings together dream team of experts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Unlocking vaccines: Better tools bring faster solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
About Purdue University<\/h2>\n\n\n\n