Antibody and environmental factors shaping flu spread
Official title: Antibody and environmental determinants of influenza transmission
Funded at University of Missouri-Columbia · NIH-11451505 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how antibodies and air conditions influence how easily flu spreads from one person to another, using a pig model to mimic human transmission.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Missouri-Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,852,388 |
| NIH project number | 1P01AI202802-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11451505 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals at risk for influenza exposure or those interested in how vaccines modulate transmission, particularly people with prior flu immunity.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefits may be limited for individuals with no exposure or no relevance to the studied immune responses and environmental conditions.
What this research studies
This project will explore how pre-existing antibody responses affect the amount of virus shed and how environmental factors like temperature and humidity influence the life of airborne flu particles. By studying antibody specificity and function in a large-animal model, researchers aim to map the points where immune responses can block transmission. The work will also quantify how environmental conditions change the infectivity of aerosolized virus, helping build better public health protections. The findings could guide vaccines that block spread as well as disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform vaccines and public health strategies that reduce flu transmission in communities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that antibodies can influence viral shedding and transmission in animal models, supporting potential translation to humans.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wan, Xiufeng Henry — University of Missouri-Columbia
- Study coordinator: Wan, Xiufeng Henry
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.