Deep antibody mapping for flu and COVID in blood and airways
Core C - Proteomics Core
This project maps the antibodies people make after flu or COVID infection or vaccination in blood and airway samples to see how immune responses change over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182571 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to provide blood and airway samples (and in some cases lymph node fine-needle aspirates or bone marrow samples) after infection or vaccination so researchers can see which antibodies appear and when. The team will read the paired antibody genes from single B cells, measure antibodies in the blood using high-resolution mass spectrometry, and test antibody function using yeast-display methods. Both IgG and IgA antibody types and different antibody subclasses will be compared between blood and airway samples. The goal is to link specific antibody sequences with their amounts and activities in the respiratory tract versus the bloodstream.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people recently infected with influenza or SARS-CoV-2 or people recently vaccinated against these viruses who can provide blood and respiratory samples and possibly undergo minor procedures like lymph node FNA or bone marrow aspiration.
Not a fit: People who are not infected or vaccinated against these respiratory viruses, or who cannot or will not provide the required samples or undergo procedures, are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help design better vaccines and antibody treatments by revealing which antibodies protect in the airways versus the blood.
How similar studies have performed: Related antibody-profiling studies have provided useful insights into immune responses, and this project combines established mass-spectrometry and BCR‑sequencing methods into a more comprehensive pipeline that is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Georgiou, George Georgiou — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Georgiou, George Georgiou
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 below.