Rahul K. Suryawanshi, Ph.D.

Section or Unit Name
Neurovirology Unit
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The Neurovirology Unit conducts research on the acute and long-term complications associated with human alphaherpesvirus infections and pulmonary infections caused by coronaviruses and influenza.

Using transgenic animal models and integrating approaches from molecular virology, neurobiology, and immunology, we investigate the mechanisms underlying viral pathogenesis in the central nervous system, which particularly involves analyzing roles of immunomodulatory host factors to understand their roles in pathogenesis, neuroprotection, and potentiating antiviral immunity. While studying different aspects of antiviral immunity, we also focus on understanding the neurological regulation of antiviral immunity, neuroinflammation, and the long-term manifestations of viral infection, such as neurodegeneration and cognitive decline using machine learning-based behavioral approaches.

Additionally, the Neurovirology Unit explores the interactions between viral proteins, host factors, and immune responses that drive differential disease severity observed in humans, paving the way for innovative therapeutic strategies. We are also committed to advancing human brain and lung organoid models to recapitulate disease phenotypes in humans and thereby enhance our understanding of viral disease mechanisms.

Selected Publications

Suryawanshi RK, Chen IP, Ma T, Syed AM, Brazer N, Saldhi P, Simoneau CR, Ciling A, Khalid MM, Sreekumar B, Chen PY, Kumar GR, Montano M, Gascon R, Tsou CL, Garcia-Knight MA, Sotomayor-Gonzalez A, Servellita V, Gliwa A, Nguyen J, Silva I, Milbes B, Kojima N, Hess V, Shacreaw M, Lopez L, Brobeck M, Turner F, Soveg FW, George AF, Fang X, Maishan M, Matthay M, Morris MK, Wadford D, Hanson C, Greene WC, Andino R, Spraggon L, Roan NR, Chiu CY, Doudna JA, Ott M. Limited cross-variant immunity from SARS-CoV-2 Omicron without vaccination. Nature. 2022 Jul;607(7918):351-355.

Ryu JK, Yan Z, Montano M, Sozmen EG, Dixit K, Suryawanshi RK, Matsui Y, Helmy E, Kaushal P, Makanani SK, Deerinck TJ, Meyer-Franke A, Rios Coronado PE, Trevino TN, Shin MG, Tognatta R, Liu Y, Schuck R, Le L, Miyajima H, Mendiola AS, Arun N, Guo B, Taha TY, Agrawal A, MacDonald E, Aries O, Yan A, Weaver O, Petersen MA, Meza Acevedo R, Alzamora MDPS, Thomas R, Traglia M, Kouznetsova VL, Tsigelny IF, Pico AR, Red-Horse K, Ellisman MH, Krogan NJ, Bouhaddou M, Ott M, Greene WC, Akassoglou K. Fibrin drives thromboinflammation and neuropathology in COVID-19. Nature. 2024 Sep;633(8031):905-913.

Suryawanshi RK, Patil CD, Agelidis A, Koganti R, Ames JM, Koujah L, Yadavalli T, Madavaraju K, Shantz LM, Shukla D. mTORC2 confers neuroprotection and potentiates immunity during virus infection. Nat Commun. 2021 Oct 14;12(1):6020.

Suryawanshi RK, Patil CD, Agelidis A, Koganti R, Yadavalli T, Ames JM, Borase H, Shukla D. Pathophysiology of reinfection by exogenous HSV-1 is driven by heparanase dysfunction. Sci Adv. 2023 Apr 28;9(17):eadf3977.

Suryawanshi RK, Jaishankar P, Correy GJ, Rachman MM, O'Leary PC, Taha TY, Zapatero-Belinchón FJ, McCavittMalvido M, Doruk YU, Stevens MGV, Diolaiti ME, Jogalekar MP, Richards AL, Montano M, Rosecrans J, Matthay M, Togo T, Gonciarz RL, Gopalkrishnan S, Neitz RJ, Krogan NJ, Swaney DL, Shoichet BK, Ott M, Renslo AR, Ashworth A, Fraser JS. The Mac1 ADP-ribosylhydrolase is a Therapeutic Target for SARS-CoV-2. eLife14:RP103484.

Suryawanshi R, Ott M. SARS-CoV-2 hybrid immunity: silver bullet or silver lining?. Nat Rev Immunol. 2022 Oct;22(10):591-592.

Major Areas of Research
  • Acute and post-acute neuropathies of virus infections
  • Impact of genetics on disease severity
  • Host-virus interactions and its effect on antiviral immunity
  • Human brain and lung organoid models to study virus infection

Fabiano Oliveira, M.D., Ph.D.

Section or Unit Name
Vector Molecular Biology Section

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Our research focuses on the complex interactions between the human immune system and insect-derived molecules, and how these interactions can influence the outcomes of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, and leishmaniasis. When an insect bites, it injects hundreds of arthropod molecules into the host's skin, alerting our immune system to these foreign agents. If the insect is infected with a pathogen, the microorganism is delivered along with these insect-derived molecules. Our immune response to these molecules over time can either help or hinder pathogen establishment, ultimately affecting the disease outcome.

Our work is conducted at two primary locations: the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research (LMVR) in Rockville, which is equipped with cutting-edge technologies, and the NIAID International Center of Excellence in Research (ICER) in Cambodia, where we conduct field observations and studies.

At LMVR-Rockville, we use advanced technologies and methodologies to explore the molecular and immunological mechanisms underlying the human response to arthropod bites and the pathogens they transmit. In Cambodia, at the NIAID ICER, we engage in extensive fieldwork to gather critical data and observations directly from affected populations. By integrating field data with laboratory findings, we aim to develop robust hypotheses that can lead to effective strategies for disease mitigation and control.

Our multidisciplinary approach allows us to bridge the gap between laboratory research and field applications. By understanding how the human immune system responds to arthropod molecules, we can identify potential targets for vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tools. Additionally, our research contributes to the development of innovative vector control strategies that can reduce the incidence of these debilitating diseases.

Through collaboration with local communities, healthcare providers, and international partners, we strive to translate our scientific discoveries into practical solutions that can improve public health outcomes. Our ultimate goal is to reduce the burden of vector-borne diseases and enhance the quality of life for people living in endemic regions.

Our research aims to improve dengue prevention and treatment strategies for U.S. travelers, personnel in endemic areas, and regions with reported dengue cases, such as Hawaii, Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Enhanced predictive, management, diagnostic, and preventive measures for dengue outbreaks are particularly crucial for these at-risk regions. The development and use of prophylactic therapeutics targeting specific immune responses to mosquito bites could reduce the transmission of arboviruses, including eastern equine encephalitis, Jamestown Canyon, La Crosse, Powassan, St. Louis encephalitis, and West Nile viruses. Improved diagnostic capabilities for vector-borne diseases and emerging infections will lead to better patient outcomes. 

Selected Publications

Manning JE, Chea S, Parker DM, Bohl JA, Lay S, Mateja A, Man S, Nhek S, Ponce A, Sreng S, Kong D, Kimsan S, Meneses C, Fay MP, Suon S, Huy R, Lon C, Leang R, Oliveira F. Development of Inapparent Dengue Associated With Increased Antibody Levels to Aedes aegypti Salivary Proteins: A Longitudinal Dengue Cohort in Cambodia. J Infect Dis. 2022 Oct 17;226(8):1327-1337.

Guerrero D, Vo HTM, Lon C, Bohl JA, Nhik S, Chea S, Man S, Sreng S, Pacheco AR, Ly S, Sath R, Lay S, Missé D, Huy R, Leang R, Kry H, Valenzuela JG, Oliveira F, Cantaert T, Manning JE. Evaluation of cutaneous immune response in a controlled human in vivo model of mosquito bites. Nat Commun. 2022 Nov 17;13(1):7036.

Chea S, Willen L, Nhek S, Ly P, Tang K, Oristian J, Salas-Carrillo R, Ponce A, Leon PCV, Kong D, Ly S, Sath R, Lon C, Leang R, Huy R, Yek C, Valenzuela JG, Calvo E, Manning JE, Oliveira F. Antibodies to Aedes aegypti D7L salivary proteins as a new serological tool to estimate human exposure to Aedes mosquitoes. Front Immunol. 2024 May 1;15:1368066.

Guimaraes-Costa AB, Shannon JP, Waclawiak I, Oliveira J, Meneses C, de Castro W, Wen X, Brzostowski J, Serafim TD, Andersen JF, Hickman HD, Kamhawi S, Valenzuela JG, Oliveira F. A sand fly salivary protein acts as a neutrophil chemoattractant. Nat Commun. 2021 May 28;12(1):3213.

Oliveira F, Rowton E, Aslan H, Gomes R, Castrovinci PA, Alvarenga PH, Abdeladhim M, Teixeira C, Meneses C, Kleeman LT, Guimarães-Costa AB, Rowland TE, Gilmore D, Doumbia S, Reed SG, Lawyer PG, Andersen JF, Kamhawi S, Valenzuela JG. A sand fly salivary protein vaccine shows efficacy against vector-transmitted cutaneous leishmaniasis in nonhuman primates. Sci Transl Med. 2015 Jun 3;7(290):290ra90.

Manning JE, Oliveira F, Coutinho-Abreu IV, Herbert S, Meneses C, Kamhawi S, Baus HA, Han A, Czajkowski L, Rosas LA, Cervantes-Medina A, Athota R, Reed S, Mateja A, Hunsberger S, James E, Pleguezuelos O, Stoloff G, Valenzuela JG, Memoli MJ. Safety and immunogenicity of a mosquito saliva peptide-based vaccine: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 1 trial. Lancet. 2020 Jun 27;395(10242):1998-2007.

Visit PubMed for a complete publication listing.

Major Areas of Research
  • Characterization of human immune response to ticks, mosquito, and sand fly saliva in the context of medically significant vector-borne diseases (Lyme disease, Powassan, dengue, malaria, and leishmaniasis)
  • Clinical and field epidemiology of the impact of mosquito saliva immunity on the outcome of dengue, Zika, and other diseases carried by mosquitos
  • Strategies to block vector-borne diseases by targeting the arthropod vector and interruption transmission to the human host

Vaccine Protective Against H5N1 Influenza from Cattle

NIAID Now |

An experimental vaccine designed against the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) virus circulating in U.S. cattle was fully protective in research mice in a new study published in Nature Communications. NIAID scientists at Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, Montana, led the animal study with colleagues from HDT Bio in Seattle who developed the replicating RNA vaccine (repRNA) platform.

Along with confirming that a single immunization with the experimental vaccine was effective against the new flu type in cattle (HPAI A H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b), the study also allowed scientists to evaluate the vaccine method for “cross protection.” Would it work against the new virus if designed with components used in stockpiled vaccines from an older H5N1 virus (A/Vietnam/1203/2004)? They found that when the test vaccine used a design from the older H5N1 virus, protection was diminished. The findings suggest that the HPAI H5N1 circulating in the U.S. may be able to evade immunity from older H5N1 viruses.

Scientists designed the repRNA vaccine to express the protective vaccine components, as well as the RNA replication machinery derived from an alphavirus. This allows for robust expression of the protective vaccine components upon delivery with LION™, a proprietary nanoparticle formulation. The repRNA/LION technology is the basis of a vaccine that received emergency use authorization in India for COVID-19. Additional applications of repRNA/LION are advancing toward clinical trials for other serious viral diseases after showing effectiveness against several different viruses in the lab.

Scientists at RML and HDT Bio are continuing to develop the vaccine platform, and evaluations in animal models developed at RML are ongoing.

Reference: D Hawman, et al. Clade 2.3.4.4b but not historical clade 1 HA replicating RNA vaccine protects against bovine H5N1 challenge in mice. Nature Communications DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55546-7 (2025).
 

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Subclinical Disease in Monkeys Exposed to H5N1 by Mouth and Stomach

NIAID Now |

Subclinical Disease in Monkeys Exposed to H5N1 by Mouth and Stomach

A new study published in Nature found that highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus (HPAI H5N1) administered directly into the mouth and stomach of research monkeys caused self-limiting infection with no recognizable clinical signs of disease. By comparison, other routes of transmission resulted in mild or severe disease. The findings suggest that drinking raw milk contaminated with H5N1 virus can result in infection but may be less likely to lead to severe illness. Nevertheless, exposure by raw milk – which is a source of several foodborne illnesses – should be avoided to prevent H5N1 infection and potential further spread.

The research team, from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), exposed cynomolgus macaques to the same clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI H5N1 virus circulating in U.S. cattle. Transmission routes included via the nose, windpipe (trachea) or directly into the mouth and stomach to mimic infection routes in people. Animals exposed via the nose and windpipe became infected, developed pneumonia and had varying degrees of disease. Animals infected in a manner that mimicked drinking had a more limited infection with no obvious disease signs. To what extent this work mirrors human infection remains unclear.

The study does suggest that infection through contaminated liquids like raw milk represents a risk for HPAI H5N1 infection of primates. The work cites the “local environment” in the stomach as potentially inactivating the virus and thus, possibly reducing the exposure dose. Scientists at NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, led the work.

They exposed six animals each via the nose to mimic an upper-respiratory tract infection; the windpipe to mimic a lower-respiratory tract infection; and in the mouth and stomach to mimic consuming contaminated products. They used a dose of virus close to what has been found in contaminated raw milk. Researchers regularly monitored and examined animals for up to 14 days.

Animals exposed in the mouth and stomach became infected but showed no signs of influenza illness throughout the study. Animals exposed in the nose showed mild respiratory disease, peaking at day 10. Animals exposed in the windpipe showed severe respiratory illness within a week.

Reference: K Rosenke, A Griffin, F Kaiser, et al. Pathogenesis of bovine H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection in Macaques. Nature DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08609-8 (2025).

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Measuring Innovation: Laboratory Infrastructure to Deliver Essential HIV Clinical Trial Results

NIAID Now |

This blog is the fifth in a series about the future of NIAID's HIV clinical research enterprise. For more information, please visit the HIV Clinical Research Enterprise page.

The outcomes of HIV clinical trials are often determined by precisely and accurately measuring how specific interventions work biologically in people. Whether tracking immune responses to a preventive vaccine candidate, monitoring changes to the amount of virus in the body, or screening for certain adverse events after administering a novel therapeutic, study teams routinely interact with clinical trial participants to safely obtain, store, transport, and analyze tissue and bodily fluid samples to answer important scientific questions about the impact of an HIV intervention in a laboratory. High quality, reliable laboratory infrastructure is critical to the accuracy and validity of clinical trial results. 

More than 150 NIAID-supported laboratories in 20 countries are addressing the diverse scientific programs of the four clinical trials networks in the Institute’s HIV clinical research enterprise. Since the start of HIV clinical research, laboratory capacities have grown in scope to support an increasing number of global clinical trials, emerging complexities in study protocol design and laboratory testing demands and evolving regulatory requirements for research and licensure.

NIAID is engaging research partners, community representatives, and other public health stakeholders in a multidisciplinary evaluation of its HIV clinical trials networks’ progress toward short- and long-term scientific goals. This process assesses knowledge gained since the networks were last awarded in 2020 to identify an essential path forward based on the latest laboratory and clinical evidence. Future NIAID HIV clinical research investments build on the conclusions of these discussions. 

In the next iteration of HIV clinical trials networks, laboratory functions will continue to evolve to align with scientific priorities and research approaches. Networks will support small early-phase trials, large registrational trials and implementation science research to examine preventive vaccine candidates and non-vaccine prevention interventions, antiviral treatments, HIV curative strategies, and therapies to improve the clinical outcomes of people affected by and living with HIV. Selected studies also will rely on high quality laboratory resources to examine interventions for tuberculosis, hepatitis, mpox and other infectious diseases. Clinical trial networks will need to employ a variety of laboratory types to achieve these objectives.  To increase flexibility and ensure the timeliness and the high quality standards the HIV field relies on for evidence that informs science, licensure and equitable practice, NIAID will have the ultimate authority for laboratory selection and approval.

Efficiency and Versatility 

Laboratory assays for HIV clinical trials continue to expand in quantity and complexity and require proportionate technical expertise and management. Future clinical research needs will include immunologic, microbiologic, and molecular testing, as well as standard chemistries and hematologic assays, with fluctuating volumes across a global collection of research sites. Balancing capacity, efficiency, scalability, and cost will require a mixed methods approach. These may include centralized laboratory testing where feasible and advantageous for protocol-specified tests; standardized processes for rapid assessment and approval of new network laboratories; and validated third-party outsourcing of routine assays to ensure timely turnaround when demands surge. 

Quality and Standardization

Ensuring consistent laboratory operations and high quality laboratory data will require continued compliance with the NIAID Division of AIDS Good Clinical Laboratory Practices and other applicable regulatory guidelines, ongoing external quality assurance monitoring, strong inventory management, importation and exportation expertise, and data and specimen management.

The research community plays an essential role in shaping NIAID’s scientific direction and research enterprise operations. We want to hear from you. Please share your questions and comments at NextNIAIDHIVNetworks@mail.nih.gov.

About NIAID’s HIV Clinical Trials Networks

The clinical trials networks are supported through grants from NIAID, with co-funding from and scientific partnerships with NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Aging, and other NIH institutes and centers. There are four networks—Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally for HIV/AIDS and Other Infections, the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, the HIV Prevention Trials Network, and the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network.

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Stanford Scientists Transform Ubiquitous Skin Bacterium into a Topical Vaccine

Updated Hep B Vaccine More Effective for People with HIV

Contribute to Development of a Universal Influenza Vaccine

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NIAID issued a Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Advancing Research Needed to Develop a Universal Influenza Vaccine with the aim of continuing to foster new and innovative scientific endeavors related to Universal Influenza Vaccine Research that advance the three major research areas defined in our Strategic Plan for the Development of a Universal Influenza Vaccine

  • Improve understanding of transmission, natural history, and pathogenesis of influenza virus infection. 
  • Characterize influenza immunity and correlates of immune protection. 
  • Support rational design of universal influenza vaccines. 

Background and Research Objectives 

Vaccines remain the greatest public health tool to protect against influenza illness and disease. However, to more effectively protect the public against seasonal and pandemic influenzas, improved vaccines with broader, more durable protection are needed. To directly address this need, the NOSI is requesting grant applications proposing scientific projects in areas that include, but are not limited to: 

  • Expand understanding of how viral, host, and environmental factors contribute to viral transmission. 
  • Define the role of anti-hemagglutinin (HA) stem and anti-neuraminidase (NA) antibodies in prevention of transmission. 
  • Identify factors associated with the severity of influenza. 
  • Precisely characterize circulating influenza viruses to assess the breadth of protection required from vaccines. 
  • Improve understanding of antigenic drift and immunodominance of various influenza antigens. 
  • Investigate interrelated roles of T and B cells in influenza responses to vaccination and infection. 
  • Characterize immune responses in diverse populations (including but not limited to different ages, sex, pregnancy, obesity, presence of co-infections or other comorbidities, and compromised immunity). 
  • Identify factors that determine immunodominant hierarchies of B cell responses. 
  • Characterize antibody responses to HA and NA and their contribution to immune protection. 
  • Define how the initial encounter with an influenza virus (i.e., immune imprinting) affects B and T cell responses, including immunologic responses to subsequent influenza virus infection. 
  • Identify major influenza epitopes that elicit broadly protective T cell immunity. 
  • Determine T cell effector function(s) necessary to enhance protective immunity or to modulate disease severity. 
  • Determine whether T cells require localization in lymph nodes or mucosal tissue to be protective. 
  • Rational design of new immunogens, and mechanistic characterization of vaccines with greater breadth and durability than currently licensed vaccines. 
  • Utilize new vaccine approaches that elicit both humoral and cell-mediated responses. 
  • Employ novel delivery mechanisms or vaccine regimens that result in improved mucosal or tissue resident responses. 
  • Incorporate novel adjuvants, with a specific emphasis on combination adjuvants and mucosal adjuvants, to enhance vaccine responses. 
  • Test controlled-release vaccine strategies to improve the breadth and durability of vaccine responses. 
  • Develop animal models to test T-cell targeting vaccine platforms. 
  • Compare data from human challenge studies with data from studies of natural infection. 
  • Utilize existing datasets from human cohorts and animal models to better predict protective responses to infection and/or vaccination.

Application and Submission Information 

This notice applies to application receipt dates on or after February 5, 2025, and subsequent receipt dates through November 16, 2027. 

Submit applications for this initiative using one of the following notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) or any reissues of these announcements through the expiration date of this notice. Your budget and project period limits will be determined by which NOFO you select for your application.  

For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-AI-24-081" (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF 424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative. Refer to the NOSI for additional instructions. 

Direct scientific questions to Dr. Jennifer Gordon at jennifer.gordon2@nih.gov or 301-761-6805 or Dr. Kentner Singleton at kentner.singleton@nih.gov or 240-669-5499.

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Vaccines stimulate the immune system to produce immune responses that protect against infection. Vaccines provide a safe, cost-effective and efficient means of preventing illness, disability and death from infectious diseases.

Vaccines have saved millions of lives worldwide and dramatically reduced the prevalence of many life-threatening infectious diseases. Yet there remains a need for new and improved vaccines against existing infectious diseases, as well as a need for rapid development of experimental vaccines to address emerging infectious diseases. NIAID supports and conducts research to identify new vaccine candidates to prevent a variety of infectious diseases, including those for which no vaccines currently exist. NIAID-supported research also aims to improve the safety and efficacy of existing vaccines.

Vaccine Research at NIAID

NIAID conducts and supports numerous stages of the vaccine development process, ranging from basic immunology research to clinical testing of candidate vaccines. Basic research aims to understand the complex interactions between pathogens and their human hosts and generate the knowledge essential for developing safe and effective vaccines. Preclinical research helps advance promising vaccine candidates into human testing. Clinical trials evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of investigational vaccines in people.

Related Public Health and Government Information

For general health information about vaccines, visit Vaccines.gov and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccines & Immunizations site. Vaccines are held to very high safety standards; for more information, see the Vaccine Safety page on Vaccines.gov. 

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Vaccines stimulate the immune system to produce immune responses that protect against infection. Vaccines provide a safe, cost-effective and efficient means of preventing illness, disability and death from infectious diseases.

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Delayed Antibody Treatment May Improve Efficacy of mRNA Vaccines

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Delayed Antibody Treatment May Improve Efficacy of mRNA Vaccines
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