Work was carried out through 4 work packages (WPs). WP1 comprised research studies with efforts to generate reporter and mutated viruses and the fellow delivered 2 conference contributions and 1 journal paper with 2 additional journal manuscripts underway. WP2 aimed to set up and optimize in vitro tick feeding system, a tool to study reporter and mutated viruses without a direct influence of host immunity. The optimization of the system has been problematic and requires further development, which is underway. In WP3, the fellow conducted a bioinformatic search as well as expression studies for neuropeptide and biogenic amines’ receptors that yielded 1 journal paper.
Furthermore, the involvement of the studied molecules in virus transmission has been investigated along with the progressing development of the other versions of reporter viruses. This has laid the foundation for further publications. WP4 focused on the transfer of knowledge and communication of the research. The fellow delivered several public engagement activities to popularize science (Open Lab Day at the partner institution, and 2023 European Researchers’ Night) and gave several interviews about the topic of this MSCA (News media RTVS, Academia journal). The research was communicated at one national and one international conference. As for the transfer of knowledge, the research was discussed and managed regularly with the supervisors, and financial management coordinated with the members of the project division. During the duration of the project, the fellow supervised three undergraduate students, one of whom is currently a PhD student in his group at the host institution.
Furthermore, the fellow provided supervision and mentoring to early-career researchers. During the project, the fellow as a PI received a national grant (VEGA #2/0040/23) with the highest score (98 points out of 100) securing €75,000 to further develop his research. The results of this MSCA project are reported in a paper about how a reporter tick-borne encephalitis virus survives in several biological models including tick cells and live ticks. Another journal paper describes the spatial and temporal expression of the receptor for small neuropeptide F, likely involved in the modulation of viral load in ticks as it will be described in our forthcoming papers. Next journal articles in preparation will report on other reporter virus designs as well as on how specific mutations in viral envelope protein affect virus replication in ticks. In addition to the papers published during this project, the other data generated, yet incomplete, will enhance coming publications in the near future.
