How babies' immune systems respond to COVID-19 versus the flu
Official title: Project 1
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11507369 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will follow infants who had COVID-19, infants who had influenza, and healthy infants to learn how early infections affect their immune protection over the next three years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $497,620 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI168632-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11507369 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are infants who recently had COVID-19 or influenza, or healthy infants without those infections, who can attend follow-up visits for up to three years.
✕Less likely to help
Adults, older children, or infants with health issues unrelated to respiratory infections are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.
What this research studies
If your baby joins, researchers will collect blood and other samples after infection and at regular visits over three years to track immune changes. They will compare infants who had SARS-CoV-2, infants who had influenza, and healthy infants to identify different immune development paths. The team will also monitor responses to routine flu and COVID-19 vaccinations during follow-up. Findings aim to show how first infections shape long-term immunity in young children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help improve vaccines and protection strategies for infants by revealing how early infections shape lasting immunity.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows first infections can shape later immune responses, but a direct three-year comparison of infant COVID-19 versus influenza immune trajectories is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ramilo, Octavio — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ramilo, Octavio
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.