How long-lived germinal centers affect immune memory and mucosal protection
Official title: Implications of long germinal centers (GC) for T and B cell memory and mucosal immunity
Funded at La Jolla Institute for Immunology · NIH-11377295 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking at whether long-lasting germinal centers help people keep stronger antibody and T-cell memory and better nose-and-throat protection after SARS‑CoV‑2 infection or COVID vaccination.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | La Jolla Institute for Immunology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | March 11, 2019 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $514,689 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI142742-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377295 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who have had SARS‑CoV‑2 infection or received COVID vaccination and are willing to provide blood and upper-airway samples (nasal swabs, brushes, or tissue when available).
✕Less likely to help
People seeking immediate clinical treatment for COVID or those unwilling or unable to provide nasal or blood samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.
What this research studies
This project focuses on immune tissues from the upper airways (like adenoids and the nasal lining) as well as blood to understand how long-lived germinal centers shape B and T cell memory. Researchers will use human samples and detailed laboratory analyses to trace antibody maturation, memory B cell function, and helper T cell activity. They will compare responses after SARS‑CoV‑2 infection and after different vaccine types, building on prior findings that long germinal centers can persist. The goal is to link those tissue-level findings to protective mucosal immunity in the nose and throat.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to design vaccines or boosters that produce stronger, longer-lasting protection in the upper airways and reduce infection or transmission.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that long-lived germinal centers can form after SARS‑CoV‑2 infection and after vaccination, but detailed studies of human upper-airway tissues are still new and limited.
Where this research is happening
-
La Jolla Institute for Immunology
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Crotty, Shane P — La Jolla Institute for Immunology
- Study coordinator: Crotty, Shane P
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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.