The funding, provided through the Allen Distinguished Investigators, a program of The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group at the Allen Institute, will fuel innovative research in Organelle Communication and Membrane Biophysics. Together these awards represent a total of $9 million dollars in funding from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, which will be distributed between 14 researchers investigating the biological principles governing fundamental cellular functions and how they interact. These foundational, cutting-edge research projects promise to advance the fields of biology and medicine.   

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has a narrow host range, mainly infecting hominoids. A new study led by researchers from Japan reveals the structural differences in the liver cell receptor (NTCP) between humans and monkeys, explaining why HBV infects humans but not monkeys. This marks a significant medical breakthrough, by identifying new molecular targets for anti-HBV drug development for treating hepatitis B, a disease that places a tremendous burden on the global economy.

IBEC’s Principal Investigator César Rodriguez-Emmenegger has been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant. This prestigious European funding supports scientists in the consolidation phase of their research teams, allowing them to pursue innovative scientific ideas. The €2 million over five years will allow Rodriguez-Emmenegger and his team to develop Phagocytic Synthetic Cells (PSCs) to fight antibiotic-resistant pathogens.