How flu antibodies attach to the virus
Official title: Project 4: Structural Biology of Influenza Antibody-Antigen Interactions
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11468148 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how antibodies from people of different ages stick to flu virus proteins to help make better vaccines.
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) | $415,598 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI089618-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11468148 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are people who recently received an influenza vaccine (including children and older adults) and are willing to give blood samples and attend study visits.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not vaccinated against influenza, unable to give blood, or whose health issues are unrelated to flu immunology are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
What this research studies
You may be asked to give a blood sample after flu vaccination so scientists can study memory B cells and the antibodies they make. Researchers will map where antibodies bind on flu proteins like hemagglutinin and neuraminidase and use cryo-EM to see antibody-antigen structures in 3D. The team will compare samples from different age groups to understand how past flu exposure shapes immune responses and will work with other project teams to design improved vaccine components. Lab experiments will also model how viruses and antibodies co-evolve to predict possible immune escape and guide vaccine design.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help design flu vaccines that protect more people across age groups by targeting the most important antibody sites.
How similar studies have gone: Previous structural studies of flu antibodies and B-cell mapping have successfully informed vaccine design, so this project builds on established methods.
Where this research is happening
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Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harrison, Stephen Coplan — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Harrison, Stephen Coplan
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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.