How a baby's first flu exposure shapes lifelong flu protection
Impact of the Initial Influenza Exposure on the Quality, Magnitude, Breadth, Potency and Durability of Influenza Immunity
This project looks at how a baby's first contact with flu, from infection or vaccination, shapes the strength and durability of their future flu protection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11081728 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a parent, you would be asked to let researchers follow infants who experience their first exposure to influenza, either naturally or through vaccination. The team will collect blood and other samples to measure antibodies, B cell responses, and how the virus itself may vary within the child. They will compare babies with maternally transferred antibodies to those without, and track how initial exposure influences responses to later, similar or different flu strains. The goal is to learn why some people get better long-lasting protection after early exposure and to use that knowledge for improved vaccine designs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are newborns and young children (up to about 11 years old) who are having their first exposure to influenza, plus their mothers when maternal antibodies are measured.
Not a fit: People who already have established flu immunity from multiple past infections or vaccinations, or those unwilling to give blood samples or travel to the study site, are unlikely to directly benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help design vaccines and timing strategies that give children stronger, broader, and longer-lasting protection against flu.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies suggest early flu exposure influences later immunity, but detailed, prospective data in infants comparing infection versus vaccination and effects on viral diversity remain limited, so this work builds on known findings while addressing important gaps.
Where this research is happening
Cincinnati, United States
- Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr — Cincinnati, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Staat, Mary a — Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Staat, Mary a
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.