Genetic Tools for Detecting VHF Bioweapons

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The recent deployment of a bioweapon in an attack on the citizens of the United States has moved bioterrorism from the realm of possible to actual threat. This new realization has brought the need for rapid, high-throughput diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination to the forefront. This application concentrates on development of high-throughput detection of live agents of viral hemorrhagic fever, using the highly lethal SNV (Bunyaviridae: Hantavirus) as the model organism. Furthermore, the technology we will develop under this funding will also be of considerable value as facilitating the advancement of treatments for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), the disease associated with SNV. This application will develop reverse genetics technology for hantaviruses with the initial intent of preparation of cellular reporters that produce a green signal when the cells are exposed to live, replication-competent SNV. This development would have considerable potential for expanding the technology to other agents of viral hemorrhagic fever. We have a specific plan to further develop and commercialize the product after the initial development phase funded by this application and will seek further funding to develop basic information on the replication of hantaviruses at the end of the two-year funding cycle.