COMMIT Center: new clues on how flu spreads between people
Official title: The Duke Catalyzing Observations into Mechanistic Models of Influenza Transmission (COMMIT) Center
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11451337 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Duke-led center is studying what biological and environmental factors influence how influenza moves from person to person.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | September 14, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $3,608,544 |
| NIH project number | 1P01AI202707-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11451337 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people at risk of contracting influenza and those willing to participate in transmission-related studies and sample collection.
✕Less likely to help
People not involved in influenza transmission studies or who are not exposed to respiratory samples are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This program brings together clinicians, mucosal immunologists, and aerosol scientists to map how infectious flu material is produced, travels through air, and is received by another person. Researchers will examine the upper airway biology of people who transmit and those who get infected, plus the makeup of the infectious particles in expelled droplets. They will use clinical transmission studies, laboratory analyses of mucosal immunity and microbiome, and computer models to build mechanistic explanations of transmission. The work aims to create new frameworks for understanding flu spread across real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of flu transmission could lead to more effective prevention and control strategies to reduce outbreaks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work on transmission and mucosal biology has shown promising links between URT factors and spread, suggesting this approach is promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Heaton, Nicholas S — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Heaton, Nicholas S
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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.