About

A blue chart detailing each thrust area for the NW-BRaVE project. The thrusts include "Visualize molecular complexes in situ," "Map molecular networks with omics," "Track propogated interactions across scales," and "Surveil systems for target recognition.

The NW-BRaVE initiative at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is organized into five key thrust areas, each designed to address different aspects of host-virus interactions and evolution. Together, these areas aim to build a comprehensive understanding of molecular dynamics and provide tools to respond to emerging biological threats.

Thrust 0: To Coordinate

Thrust 0 enacts and harmonizes sample preparation, tracking, and provenance data management protocols across thrusts.

Thrust 1: To Visualize

Thrust 1 involves visualizing in situ spatial molecular interactions induced by virus infection using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to unlock the intricate molecular interactions between Prochlorococcus and phages to advance scientific understanding and foster data transparency and accessibility.

3D rendering depicting how a phage interacts with a pathogen host at the regulatory and metabolic levels.
This complex model generated through NW-BRaVE depicts how a phage, which is a a type of virus that infects and replicates within bacteria, interacts with a host at the regulatory level. (Image courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

Thrust 2: To Map

Thrust 2 involves mapping regulatory pathways and molecular networks with advanced multiomics profiling.

Thrust 3: To Track

Thrust 3 involves advancing environmental biopreparedness by capturing and interpreting the spatial-temporal dynamics of cyanobacteria and their phage as they adjust to naturally evolving environmental and biological conditions in estuarine systems.

Thrust 4: To Surveil

Thrust 4 involves surveilling host-pathogen interactions through multimodal data integration. Researchers aim to build an agnostic data integration platform for transforming data across its life cycle with consistent information.