How Immunotherapy Affects Lasting Vaccine Protection
Project 3: Durable impact of precision immunotherapy on vaccine-induced adaptive immune memory
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · NIH-11080948
This work explores how specific immune-modifying medicines influence the body's long-term protection from vaccines.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11080948 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Our immune system's response to vaccines can be complex, especially for people also receiving treatments that change their immune system. This project looks at how certain medicines, such as those that target the PD-1 pathway, affect the body's ability to create lasting protection from vaccines. By studying patients who receive these medicines alongside vaccines, we hope to learn how to improve vaccine effectiveness for everyone. This approach allows us to see how specific immune pathways work in real people, rather than just in lab models.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be patients receiving specific immune-modifying therapeutics, such as those targeting the PD-1 pathway, who also receive vaccines.
Not a fit: Patients not receiving immune-modifying therapeutics or vaccines would not directly benefit from this specific line of inquiry.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could lead to better strategies for designing vaccines and immunotherapies, potentially improving long-term protection against diseases, especially for patients on immune-modifying drugs.
How similar studies have performed: While the general concept of studying immune responses to vaccines is established, performing precise gain- or loss-of-function studies in humans using therapeutic perturbations is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: WHERRY, E. JOHN — MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- Study coordinator: WHERRY, E. JOHN
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.