Flu vaccine responses and infection risk in people over 75
Official title: Leveraging an ongoing longitudinal study of influenza vaccination to define immune signatures of response and risk of infection in older adults >75
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11237598 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at immune responses to seasonal flu vaccines in adults over 75 to find patterns linked to protection or risk of infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | December 9, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,574,291 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI165826-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11237598 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are community-dwelling adults aged 75 or older who receive seasonal flu vaccination and can provide blood samples and basic health information.
✕Less likely to help
People younger than 75, those unable to give blood samples, or residents of institutions not included in the cohort are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
You would be joining a long-term group of community-dwelling adults over 75 who have given blood samples and health information across multiple flu seasons. Researchers will use advanced lab tests on stored and new blood samples — including cell-level profiling, RNA sequencing, and antibody measurements — to map immune cell types and flu-specific responses. They will compare people who had breakthrough flu infections to those who remained protected and consider factors like frailty and repeated yearly vaccination. The team aims to identify immune patterns that explain who is most likely to be protected or to get sick despite vaccination.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify older adults who need stronger vaccines or extra protection during flu season.
How similar studies have gone: Related immune-profiling studies have helped explain vaccine responses in younger adults, but applying these high-resolution methods to long-running samples from adults over 75 is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leng, Sean Xiao — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Leng, Sean Xiao
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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.