How B cells learn to make stronger antibodies
Official title: Project 2: Affinity Maturation of the B-cell Repertoire
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11468146 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are tracking how immune B cells change after flu exposure to help people get stronger, longer-lasting protection from vaccines and infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2011 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $375,000 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI089618-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11468146 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This specific project is a laboratory study in mice and does not enroll patients directly, though people who have had influenza or flu vaccination could be eligible for related human studies in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Patients looking for immediate treatments or clinical care would not receive direct benefit from this mouse-based laboratory research.
What this research studies
This lab work follows immune B and helper T cells in detail to see how they change after flu vaccines or infections. Scientists use special mice that let them mark which cells came from the germinal center so they can watch whether those cells become long-lived antibody factories or memory cells. They give initial immunizations or infections, then re-expose the animals to see which cells respond the second time. Understanding these cell fates helps explain why some vaccines give lasting protection and why viruses that change can escape immunity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help design vaccines that produce stronger, longer-lasting antibodies and better protection against changing viruses like the flu.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and lab studies have successfully shown how germinal centers create high-affinity antibodies, and this project builds on those established methods using newer cell-tracing tools.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kelsoe, Garnett H — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kelsoe, Garnett H
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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.