OCRID Announces New and Continuing Pilot Projects Advancing Long COVID Research
10/03/2025
The Oklahoma Center for Respiratory and Infectious Diseases (OCRID) is proud to announce this year’s new pilot projects and the continuation of innovative research supported through our NIH Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) funding. These projects highlight OCRID’s commitment to advancing cutting-edge science that addresses some of the most pressing health challenges of our time, including COVID-19 and long COVID.
Dr. Sudhakar Jha – Circular RNAs and Long COVID
Dr. Sudhakar Jha, Associate Professor of Physiological Sciences at Oklahoma State University (OSU), is leading a project that explores the role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the development and persistence of long COVID. Circular RNAs are a unique class of non-coding RNAs with emerging roles in immune regulation and host-pathogen interactions. Dr. Jha’s study seeks to map circRNA activity in long COVID and uncover how these molecules influence immune dysregulation and inflammation. His team aims to identify biomarkers that could lead to new diagnostics and potential therapeutic targets for patients suffering from long-term complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Dr. Joy Scaria – Gut Microbiota and Long COVID
Dr. Joy Scaria, Associate Professor of Veterinary Pathobiology at OSU, is investigating how the gut microbiome can shape immune responses to respiratory viruses. His project examines polyphenol-metabolizing gut bacteria and their metabolites—compounds that may strengthen antiviral defenses and reduce lung inflammation. Using germ-free mouse models, Dr. Scaria will evaluate whether specific bacterial consortia can protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection and mitigate long COVID-like outcomes. This research could open the door to novel microbiota-targeted therapies for respiratory diseases.
Dr. Xufang Deng – Modeling Long COVID Through Viral Persistence
Continuing his pioneering research, Dr. Xufang Deng, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Pathobiology, is establishing advanced animal models to better understand long COVID. His team is using innovative biosensor mice and recombinant SARS-CoV-2 reporter viruses to study how viral persistence contributes to prolonged inflammation across multiple organs. By illuminating the relationship between chronic viral presence and long-term tissue injury, Dr. Deng’s work will provide critical insights into why long COVID develops and how it may be prevented or treated.
Driving Collaborative Discovery
These pilot projects exemplify OCRID’s mission to foster collaborative, interdisciplinary research that strengthens Oklahoma’s biomedical research infrastructure. By supporting investigators at critical stages of their work, OCRID helps launch transformative studies that can lead to major breakthroughs in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of respiratory and infectious diseases.
“Our pilot projects not only support innovative science but also provide the foundation for investigators to compete successfully for external funding,” said Dr. Lin Liu, OCRID Director. “Each project is a testament to the creativity and dedication of our researchers, and we are excited to see their impact on global health.”