Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination: boosting uptake in Nigeria and beyond
Official title: Research Project 2
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11627094 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A national implementation project aims to speed up HepB birth-dose vaccination and protect newborns from liver cancer risk.
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 start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $37,500 |
| NIH project number | 3U54CA284110-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11627094 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Newborns and their families in Nigeria and similar resource-limited settings where HepB birth-dose uptake is suboptimal.
✕Less likely to help
Hospitals or communities with high HepB birth-dose uptake and no barriers to vaccination may see limited additional benefit.
What this research studies
This project is centered on increasing timely HepB birth-dose vaccination for newborns in Nigeria and similar settings in Africa and the United States. It uses crowdsourcing to develop and test locally relevant messages and strategies to improve vaccine uptake outside hospital settings. The approach involves partnering with community clinics, birth sites, and outreach venues to implement effective vaccination campaigns and monitor progress over several years. The goal is to reduce hepatitis B transmission early in life and lower future liver-cancer risk by making the birth-dose more widely and quickly given. The study is designed to inform policy and practice through real-world implementation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more newborns will receive the HepB birth-dose on time, reducing HBV infection and future liver cancer risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior use of crowdsourcing for health messaging has shown promise in improving vaccine uptake in similar settings, though this specific implementation is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Iwelunmor, Juliet — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Iwelunmor, Juliet
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.