Sign in Subscribe
Cells (Biology)

Mount Sinai Awarded Up to $11.8 Million for Groundbreaking Research to Block Viral Infection

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Scientists from the Department of Microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have been awarded a significant grant of up to $11.8 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop a comprehensive map of the critical points inside human cells that viruses exploit to infect, replicate, and spread. This project, titled "Closing the Doors to All Pathogens Through Integrated Digital Experiments (DOORs)," aims to create a reusable, generalizable platform for broad-spectrum antivirals, which could dramatically shorten the timeline for developing antiviral therapies and ultimately strengthen global biodefense.

Key Takeaways:

  • The DOORs project will receive up to $11.8 million from ARPA-H to identify and block the critical points inside human cells that viruses exploit to infect, replicate, and spread.
  • The project will map these critical doors in human cells by systematically comparing viruses that can infect humans with closely related ones that cannot.
  • Researchers from the Department of Microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will collaborate with institutions including the University of California, San Francisco; Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines, Scripps Research; and Columbia University.
  • The project will create a comprehensive computational map of pathogen-host interactions and uncover the best drug targets for an entire family of pathogens.
  • Researchers will also test approved therapies and discover new ones through computer modeling.
  • The vision for DOORs is to protect U.S. national security from emerging biological threats with an integrated, digital experimental workflow that closes the loop for detecting, understanding, and responding to infectious diseases.
  • Dr. Gustavo Palacios, PhD, is the Principal Investigator of the DOORs project and Professor of Microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Statistics:

  • Up to $11.8 million will be awarded to the DOORs project from ARPA-H.
  • The project aims to create a comprehensive computational map of pathogen-host interactions.
  • The DOORs program will focus on mapping and modeling conserved interactions and identifying viral "keys" that unlock them.
  • The project will test approved therapies and discover new ones through computer modeling.
  • The vision for DOORs is to protect U.S. national security from emerging biological threats.

Sources:

  • Mount Sinai Health System. (2025). Mount Sinai Awarded Up to $11.8 Million From ARPA-H to Close the Doors in Human Cells That Viruses Exploit to Infect, Replicate, and Spread. Retrieved from https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2025/mount-sinai-awarded-up-to-11-8-million-from-arpa-h-to-close-the-doors-in-human-cells-that-viruses-exploit-to-infect-replicate-and-spread

Read more