Location: Virus and Prion Research
Project Number: 5030-32000-228-026-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2026
End Date: Jul 31, 2029
Objective:
Evaluate the infectivity of a newly identified spontaneous prion that originated in cultured mammalian cells. The project aims to determine whether this cell derived prion can transmit disease in a natural host by using the hamster as a biological assay system. The work will characterize the capacity of the spontaneous prion to initiate prion disease, its pathological features, and its transmission properties in an established in vivo model.
Approach:
The Cooperator will receive cell derived spontaneous prion samples and associated control materials generated by the research team. Upon receipt, the Cooperator will inoculate the samples into hamsters through the intracranial route following established biosafety and animal care procedures.
After inoculation, the Cooperator will monitor the animals for clinical indicators of prion disease over an extended observation period appropriate for the hamster model. Clinical progression, incubation times, and neurological signs will be recorded to evaluate whether the spontaneous prion induces transmissible disease. At the study endpoint or upon development of neurological criteria, tissues will be collected for biochemical and histopathological analyses that allow confirmation of prion infection, detection of disease associated prion protein, and assessment of strain characteristics.
This approach provides a controlled in vivo system to determine infectivity, establish whether the spontaneous prion replicates in a natural host, and support comparative evaluation against known transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents. The study design ensures clear and interpretable outcomes that contribute directly to mission-critical prion research priorities.