How immune cells in different body tissues respond to viruses and vaccines
Project-004
This project looks at how immune cells in body tissues like lymph nodes and mucosal sites respond to common viruses such as flu and SARS-CoV-2 and to vaccines, especially in people on immune-altering treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11467562 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you participate, researchers will collect blood samples and, through partnerships that collect donated tissues, study immune cells called T cells and dendritic cells from different body sites. They will compare those tissue immune cells with immune cells in the blood and compare responses from natural infection with those from vaccines. The project also follows people who get vaccines while taking immune-altering medicines such as B cell–depleting drugs or drugs that keep lymphocytes in lymph nodes to see how those treatments change vaccine responses. The goal is to understand why immune protection differs across body sites and in people on different therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates include people planning to receive vaccines and patients taking immune-modifying treatments (for example, B cell–depleting therapies) who can provide blood samples and clinical information.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to immune responses to viruses, those not getting vaccines, or those unwilling to provide blood or allow use of donated tissues are unlikely to get direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help improve vaccine strategies and guidance for people on immunomodulatory therapies by revealing where and how protective immune responses form in the body.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown tissue-specific immune cells and vaccine response differences, but applying detailed tissue profiling across multiple viruses and in patients on B-cell therapies is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Farber, Donna L. — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Farber, Donna L.
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 below.