How influenza A viruses behave and spread in different hosts
Host dependence of influenza A virus spatio-temporal dynamics
This project tracks how influenza A viruses change and move through different animals and species that can affect people to better spot risks of new outbreaks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237136 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you're involved, researchers will collect virus samples from different host species and from different tissues over time to see how viral populations change. They will use advanced viral genetics and next-generation sequencing to read virus genomes and map where and when variants appear. The team will follow transmission between individuals and compare patterns across natural hosts to identify barriers or routes for spillover. The goal is to build a detailed, time-resolved picture of how flu adapts and spreads across species.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would include people with recent influenza A infections or those with close contact to birds or mammals (for example, poultry workers, veterinarians, or livestock handlers) if human sampling is part of the study.
Not a fit: People with unrelated medical conditions or those without exposure to animals or influenza are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve early detection of animal-to-human flu threats and inform better vaccines and public-health responses.
How similar studies have performed: Genetic sequencing has been used successfully to track flu spread before, but applying high-resolution spatial and temporal sequencing across multiple host species is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lowen, Anice C — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Lowen, Anice C
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.