U54AG089334

VAST Center: Viromes Across Space(s) and Time - Overall Abstract

The VAST (Viromes Across Spaces and Time) Center proposes to comprehensively identify the human-associated virome and characterize the viral constituents through a unique set of longitudinal samples collected from healthy individuals.

To advance our understanding of the human virome, we will employ innovative approaches by accessing unique, well-phenotyped cohorts, exploring diverse lifestyles, engaging with underrepresented communities, utilizing cutting-edge methods for virome-focused microbiome profiling, and emphasizing absolute quantification of viruses rather than relying solely on relative abundance measurements, while also using spatial imaging technology to delineate viral tropism at the subcellular level.

The participating laboratories have collected longitudinal samples from a number of unique cohorts including:

A) Densely profiled samples from ~171 extensively characterized individuals who have been tracked for up to 13.5 years. Subsets have performed dietary interventions (e.g. fiber supplementation) and lifestyle changes have been tracked;

B) Individuals who have been to low Earth orbit or Antarctica;

C) Members of underserved groups such as Native Americans, Hispanics, and African Americans;

D) Children from underserved groups who have undergone an exercise intervention;

E) Individuals who have had their associated airborne samples (exposome) collected;

F) Many others.

We propose to characterize the virome in depth from these individuals and correlate virus presence, abundance, and changes with features of the cohort: location, ethnicity, diet, and perturbations including location (space) and lifestyle (diet, exercise).

The Leland Stanford Junior University

TO ENCOURAGE BIOMEDICAL, SOCIAL, AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING DIRECTED TOWARD GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AGING PROCESS AND THE DISEASES, SPECIAL PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE AS THEY AGE. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING HAS ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS TO PURSUE THESE GOALS. THE DIVISION OF AGING BIOLOGY EMPHASIZES UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF AGING. THE DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND CLINICAL GERONTOLOGY SUPPORTS RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE ABILITIES OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO RESPOND TO THE DISEASES AND OTHER CLINICAL PROBLEMS OF OLDER PEOPLE. THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH SUPPORTS RESEARCH THAT WILL LEAD TO GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT BOTH THE PROCESS OF GROWING OLD AND THE PLACE OF OLDER PEOPLE IN SOCIETY. THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE FOSTERS RESEARCH CONCERNED WITH THE AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RELATED SENSORY, PERCEPTUAL, AND COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING AND HAS A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SBIR PROGRAM, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.310 - Trans-NIH Research Support

National Institute on Aging (NIA) [HHS - NIH]

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) [HHS - NIH]

Stanford, California 94305 United States

Single Zip Code

Human Virome Characterization Centers (U54 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (RFA-RM-23-019)