Contagiousness: How and When It Stops in Flu
Official title: Research Project 1
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11451549 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand when people stop being contagious during flu infection and what factors influence that timing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,094,903 |
| NIH project number | 1P01AI202800-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11451549 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be patients with influenza or individuals at risk of influenza transmission, particularly those with metabolic conditions like obesity.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefits may be limited for individuals without influenza exposure or metabolic considerations in the near term.
What this research studies
We will use ferret models to watch how contagiousness ends after peak virus levels and how viral shedding can continue even as transmission stops. The project will map the timing of contagious-to-non-contagious transition for different flu strains and identify host factors that regulate this switch. It will also examine how obesity and metabolic health affect when and if someone stops spreading the virus. The team will combine advanced aerobiology tools with real-time observation to capture when and how transmission ends.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could inform safer isolation guidelines and reduce transmission by better defining when someone is no longer contagious.
How similar studies have gone: Early data from animal models suggest host factors can curb contagiousness, but human translation remains to be demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schultz-Cherry, Stacey L — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Schultz-Cherry, Stacey L
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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.