Blood DNA methylation markers for long COVID (PASC)
Official title: Blood DNA Methylation Biomarkers of Post Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV 2 Infection (PASC)
Funded at Albany Medical College · NIH-11123263 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking for lasting chemical changes in blood DNA that might explain ongoing symptoms in people who had COVID-19.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albany Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albany, United States) |
| Project start | July 5, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $774,571 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI173035-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11123263 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who previously had SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially those experiencing ongoing post-COVID symptoms (PASC) or who were hospitalized for COVID-19, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who never had COVID-19 or whose symptoms are clearly explained by other medical conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
You would be asked to give blood samples so researchers can look at chemical tags on your DNA (called methylation) and measure which genes are active. They will perform whole-genome DNA methylation testing and RNA sequencing on white blood cells collected after your COVID-19 illness. The team will compare people with ongoing post-COVID symptoms to those who recovered without lasting problems to find persistent differences. Those patterns could help define different types of long COVID and point to blood tests or new targets for treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to blood-based biomarkers that help diagnose or categorize long COVID and suggest targets for future therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have shown altered blood methylation during acute COVID and some signals persisting up to a year, but using genome-wide methylation profiles as clinical PASC biomarkers is still an emerging area.
Where this research is happening
-
Albany Medical College
Albany, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jaitovich, Adolfo Ariel — Albany Medical College
- Study coordinator: Jaitovich, Adolfo Ariel
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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.