NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

Central clinical hub for collecting patient samples

Official title: Clinical Studies Core

Funded at La Jolla Institute for Immunology · NIH-11377294 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This project collects and stores blood, nasal swabs, lymph node tissue, and related samples from adults to support COVID-19 immune research.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionLa Jolla Institute for Immunology
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (La Jolla, United States)
Project startMarch 11, 2019
Project endFebruary 28, 2029
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$514,689
NIH project number5U19AI142742-08
Project IDNIH-11377294 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Adults aged 21 and older who can provide blood, nasal swabs, or tissue samples (including people recovering from or exposed to COVID-19, or those undergoing relevant clinical procedures) are ideal candidates.

Less likely to help

People under 21 or those unwilling or unable to give biological samples or share coded clinical information are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit from participation.

What this research studies

You would be asked to give samples such as blood, nasopharyngeal (nose) swabs, and sometimes lymph node or head and neck tissue, which are processed into PBMCs, serum or plasma and carefully stored. The Core centralizes consent and IRB oversight and makes sure all samples and clinical data are coded and handled the same way to protect privacy and quality. Staff will coordinate with partner sites at UCSD and Liverpool to expand sample collection and maintain consistent processing. These organized, high-quality human samples are then used by multiple research projects to study immune responses to SARS-CoV-2.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this centralized collection will give researchers reliable human samples that can speed development of better COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and treatments.

How similar studies have gone: Clinical sample cores and biobanks have a strong track record supporting successful vaccine and immune-response research, so this is a well-established approach.

Where this research is happening

  • La Jolla Institute for Immunology
    La Jolla, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Sette, Alessandro — La Jolla Institute for Immunology
  • Study coordinator: Sette, Alessandro

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.