How flu infection and vaccination shape B cell immune memory
Official title: Project 1: Human and Non-human Primate Influenza B-cell Repertoires
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11468145 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares how first flu infections versus first flu vaccines change antibody responses in children and adults 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) | $710,000 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI089618-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11468145 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children and adults planning to get a seasonal influenza vaccine who are willing to provide blood (and possibly nasal) samples over time.
✕Less likely to help
People not receiving flu vaccines, those seeking immediate treatment for active influenza illness, or those unable to give biological samples are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will collect blood samples from children and adults who receive seasonal flu shots to see how immune memory changes after vaccination. They will also run controlled experiments in rhesus macaques to mimic specific sequences of infection and vaccination. Labs will analyze antibodies, grow individual B cells, isolate monoclonal antibodies, and map exactly which parts of the virus the antibodies target. The team combines these human samples and animal experiments to understand why some exposures give narrow strong protection while others give broader, but weaker, protection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could guide vaccines that produce broader and more durable protection against diverse influenza strains.
How similar studies have gone: Prior immunology work on "imprinting" and B cell responses has provided useful insights, but combining detailed human sampling with controlled nonhuman primate experiments is a newer, more integrated approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moody, Michael Anthony — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Moody, Michael Anthony
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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.