Funding outcome

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the most common reason that infants and young children are admitted to the hospital with lung infections that can lead to severe bronchiolitis and/or pneumonia. These infections can make breathing difficult, especially in infants whose airways are still small and whose immune systems are not fully developed. While vaccines are now available to help prevent RSV, they are not available for infants (in fact it was recently reported that they make disease worse in infants), and there are currently no antiviral treatments for children and infants who are already infected. Care is mostly supportive, and many families face stressful hospital stays. This project aims to explore a new way to block the RSV virus from multiplying in the body. RSV needs a specific protein, called the polymerase, the engine that copies the virus's genetic material, allowing it to spread. our research suggests that this polymerase contains several previously unexplored sites that affect how the virus grows. By studying these sites in detail, we aim to design and test small molecules that could interfere with the polymerase and reduce how quickly RSV replicates. Our approach combines computer-based modeling, chemical synthesis, laboratory testing, and the use of advanced techniques to visualize proteins and their interactions with small molecules. My long-term goal is to develop antiviral strategies that can lessen the severity of RSV infections, reduce the need for hospitalization, and ultimately improve the health and well-being of infants and young children.