How aging affects natural antibodies from a special B cell type and why it matters for older adults
Official title: The Role of Biological Sex in the Self-renewal of B1 Cells into Old Age in Mice and Humans
Funded at Western Michigan Univ School of Medicine · NIH-11361634 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant explores how aging changes a specific B cell type that makes natural antibodies, which could influence how well older people are protected from infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Western Michigan Univ School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kalamazoo, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $766,255 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG084752-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361634 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults aged 65 and older, including both sexes, who can contribute samples and information related to immune function.
✕Less likely to help
Some older adults with different health issues or medications may not experience direct benefits from these basic science findings.
What this research studies
The project looks at B1 cells and their ability to renew themselves as people age, and how this affects natural immunity in both men and women. Researchers will study immune cells from older adults and compare them with younger groups to see how self-renewal and antibody production differ. The work aims to connect basic biology with real-aged immune function to inform healthier aging. By understanding why protective natural antibodies decline in some older individuals, this research could point toward strategies to maintain immune protection later in life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide new approaches to preserve immune defense in the elderly, potentially reducing infection risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows sex-specific differences in natural antibody protection with age, suggesting that this line of research could yield meaningful insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Western Michigan Univ School of Medicine
Kalamazoo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Holodick, Nichol Elizabeth — Western Michigan Univ School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Holodick, Nichol Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Neural factors behind age-related breathing problems
This grant studies why breathing control gets weaker with age and how nerve cells that control strong breaths deteriorate, aiming to improve airway clearance and reduce pneumonia risk in older adults.
-
Menopause, aging, and everyday functioning in women
A long-term study following 3,302 diverse women to understand how the menopause transition affects health and daily functioning as they age.
-
A druggable mito-nuclear feedback mechanism that preserves mitochondrial and synaptic function in old age
A new NIH-funded program aims to understand a brain mechanism that links mitochondria to gene control, with the goal of keeping brain cells happy in aging and Alzheimer's-related dementias.
-
Respiratory control in aging: keeping breathing muscles healthy
A Mayo Clinic team is testing ways to protect the breathing muscles in people as they age, aiming to keep seniors breathing well longer.
-
Understanding how natural immunity changes with age in men and women
This project looks at how our natural defenses, called B1 cells, stay strong or weaken as we get older, especially noticing differences between men and women.
-
How aging affects breathing control
Testing treatments that protect the nerve cells that control breathing in older adults to reduce age-related respiratory weakness.
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.