Portland State University Gains Funding for Virus Study
The $1 million grant will support a three-year effort to trace the evolutionary history of rare cruciviruses.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Life Sciences
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The National Science Foundation has awarded a $1 million grant to Portland State University to support a three-year study on the evolution of cruciviruses. Researchers at the institution's eXtreme Virus Lab aim to investigate how these unique pathogens recombine RNA and DNA genetic material.
Why it matters
Understanding horizontal gene transfer in cruciviruses may provide critical insights into virus emergence and the evolution of viral genomes. This work could refine the development of sophisticated tools for future gene therapy and vaccine delivery applications.
Cruciviruses are the only known viruses with capsid proteins capable of enclosing both RNA and DNA genomes. The lab will utilize machine learning algorithms to model the evolutionary history of these viruses by analyzing their genetic sequences.
The players
Portland State University
A public research university hosting the eXtreme Virus Lab, which has operated for 25 years.
National Science Foundation
A federal agency that supports fundamental research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering.
The details
The project focuses on horizontal gene transfer, the movement of genetic material between organisms outside of vertical inheritance. Researchers will build evolutionary trees from genetic sequences to map the lineage of viruses that exhibit recombination between RNA and DNA types. The team is also developing specialized techniques to sample environments and isolate host eukaryotic microbes, which are organisms containing a nucleus, to determine how these viruses survive.
Timeline
2012: Lab researchers first identified cruciviruses.
2016: Ignacio de la Higuera joined the eXtreme Virus Lab.
October 27, 2026: The National Science Foundation announced the $1 million grant.
Next three years: The duration of the research project.
The Tech Race
The research project marks a new phase in the eXtreme Virus Lab's 25-year operational history by focusing specifically on the host-identification of rare cruciviruses. This work aligns with broader efforts in virology to map how diverse genomic architectures emerge and persist in extreme environments like Antarctica.
While the immediate impact is academic, the research aims to improve the design of tools for gene therapy and vaccine delivery. The lab also plans to expand educational outreach regarding virus evolution to rural communities through virtual programs over the next three years.
The takeaway
This study highlights the ongoing challenge of identifying the hosts for viruses that bridge RNA and DNA genetic boundaries. Readers interested in evolutionary biology should watch for future findings regarding host-microbe identification from the lab's upcoming three-year project.
Further reading
Learn more about ongoing laboratory findings in Life Sciences.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News-Medical.
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