Image source: Catholic University of America
CV NEWS FEED // A biology professor at the Catholic University of America has been awarded a multi-year $5 million research grant by the federal government, better equipping him to continue his stem cell research that could help find cures for HIV and other genetic diseases.
The Arlington Catholic Herald reported that Professor Venigalla Rao has conducted gene therapy research on CUA’s campus at the university’s Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, which he founded three years ago.
Rao received the grant through the National Institute on Drug Abuse. According to the Arlington Catholic Herald, “Nearly 40 million people have HIV globally, and if Rao’s research on stem cells succeeds, he believes it could potentially lead to a cure for HIV and other genetic diseases.”
Rao has previously received several other research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. According to the Arlington Catholic Herald, he is also a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the National Academy of Inventors and holds 24 U.S. and international patents.
Rao called the grant “a great honor” for himself and for CUA. He also explained the idea driving his research.
“If we can repair the stem cells, then those repaired stem cells will repopulate the body,” Rao said, according to the Arlington Catholic Herald. “The current HIV genetic disease will eventually be eliminated. The people don’t have to take any drugs, and they will be HIV resistant for future infections.”
He added:
I have no illusion that it will be an easy path to success. I might fail. Nevertheless, if you don’t try, you will definitely fail. I think we have a plausible path. We have to work really hard, be very creative, build the right teams, work with the right people and bring our resources. So I’m willing to do that.
