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Morphological and molecular identification of Hyalomma tick vectors of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus

US · IL NIH grant awarded #nih-1R15AI188251-01A1

Summary

Develop comprehensive morphological and molecular tools to effectively identify closely related Hyalomma tick species that are vectors of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus.

What they want

The project aims to resolve the systematics within groups of closely related Hyalomma species (H. marginatum, H. truncatum, H. anatolicum) responsible for CCHF transmission. This will be achieved by using morphological data (examination of available specimens, illustration of diagnostic characters, and application of multivariate statistics) and genomic data (high throughput Illumina short read and Oxford Nanopore long read, guided assembly and annotation, and coalescence-based phylogenetic analyses). The project will also produce comprehensive morphological taxonomic keys and a molecular diagnostic tool for the identification of closely related Hyalomma species-vectors of CCHF virus at each parasitic stage. This includes constructing fully illustrated, web-based, interactive, multi-entry identification keys using morphological characters and developing a multiplex TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR assay using identified diagnostic gene or sequence regions.
Deliverables
  • Comprehensive morphological identification tools for Hyalomma species
  • Comprehensive molecular identification tools for Hyalomma species
  • Resolved systematics within groups of closely related Hyalomma species (H. marginatum, H. truncatum, H. anatolicum)
  • Fully illustrated, web-based, interactive, multi-entry identification keys
  • Multiplex TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR assay
  • Trained PhD student
  • Trained undergraduates (at least 6)
Technical requirements
  • Morphological data examination and illustration
  • Multivariate statistics
  • High throughput Illumina short read genomic data
  • Oxford Nanopore long read genomic data
  • Guided assembly and annotation
  • Coalescence-based phylogenetic analyses
  • Web-based, interactive, multi-entry identification key construction
  • Genomic sequence data analysis for diagnostic regions
  • Multiplex TaqMan probe-based real-time PCR assay development
Key personnel
  • PhD student
  • Undergraduates (at least 6)

Market context

inferred from NAICS
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
NAICS 541714
US market size
$2.0T
Typical award
$25K – $50M
Typical buyers
All federal civilianDoDStates
Commonly required
8(a)WOSBSDVOSBPE/PMP

Sector-level estimate — full code lookup not yet in catalog.

Morphological and molecular identification…
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