Higher-dose versus standard-dose flu vaccine for children with organ transplants
Official title: Comparison of High vs. Standard Dose Influenza Vaccine in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplant Recipients
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11332777 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This compares higher-dose and standard-dose flu vaccines to find which gives better protection for children who’ve had organ transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | June 9, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,631,637 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI167799-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332777 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children who have received a solid organ transplant, especially those within 24 months after transplant and who are medically stable to receive inactivated influenza vaccine, are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Adults, healthy children without transplants, or transplant recipients who are not in the early post-transplant period may not be eligible or directly helped by this protocol.
What this research studies
If your child had a solid organ transplant, some participants will get the higher-dose inactivated flu vaccine and others the standard dose, and some may receive two doses in the same season. Doctors will take blood before and after vaccination to measure antibody levels and will monitor for side effects and any influenza infections. The project focuses on children early after transplant (under 24 months) because vaccine responses are often weaker then. Researchers will also look for immune markers that predict who responds best to the vaccine.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify a vaccine dose or schedule that gives children with organ transplants stronger and longer-lasting protection against influenza.
How similar studies have gone: Prior adult transplant studies and a small pediatric trial showed higher-dose or additional influenza doses can be safe and boost antibody responses, but larger pediatric data and the two-dose high-dose approach remain untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Halasa, Natasha Bassam — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Halasa, Natasha Bassam
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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.