Finding why some adults don't make strong antibodies after hepatitis B shots
Official title: A systems immunology approach for predicting poor responses to Hepatitis B vaccination
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11169898 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for blood immune markers that explain why some adults, especially those with obesity, make weak antibody responses after hepatitis B vaccination.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $799,004 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI158617-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11169898 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults eligible for hepatitis B vaccination, including people with chronic inflammatory conditions such as obesity, would be appropriate candidates to participate.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not receiving hepatitis B vaccination, children under 21, or those unable to attend clinic blood draws are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
If you join, we will take blood samples before and at several times after hepatitis B vaccination to measure antibodies and immune cell activity. The team will focus on helper T cells (called circulating Tfh) and B cells and use systems-level lab tests to look at gene activity and cell types. We will compare people who mount strong antibody responses with those who do not, including people with chronic inflammation like obesity. The goal is to find biological signatures that could point to ways to improve vaccine protection for people who currently remain unprotected.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify markers that help doctors predict who may need different vaccine schedules, extra doses, or tailored vaccine approaches to get protection.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using circulating Tfh cells showed links with influenza vaccine responses, but applying systems immunology to predict hepatitis B vaccine failure in adults, especially with obesity, is a newer application.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Herati, Ramin — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Herati, Ramin
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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.