How past dengue infections shape antibody and B cell responses
Project 1: Immunological imprinting and immune correlates of antibody and B cell responses in natural dengue virus infections
Learn how first and later dengue infections change antibodies and B cells in children using samples from a long-term Nicaragua study.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11111756 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses blood samples from a long-running Pediatric Dengue Cohort in Nicaragua to study immune responses after first and repeat dengue infections. Researchers compare immune fingerprints across the four dengue virus types by analyzing antibodies and B cells at both the polyclonal and monoclonal level. They map antibody “landscapes” and use antigenic cartography and advanced statistics to see how earlier infections leave an immune "imprint" that affects later illness. The goal is to connect these immune patterns to clinical outcomes and help guide better vaccine design.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children (about 0–11 years old) with current or past dengue infection enrolled in the Pediatric Dengue Cohort Study in Nicaragua or similar follow-up programs.
Not a fit: Adults, people without dengue exposure, or children not enrolled at the cohort or collaborating sites are unlikely to directly benefit from participating in this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve vaccine design and help predict who is at higher risk for severe dengue.
How similar studies have performed: Previous dengue antibody and B cell studies have advanced understanding of immune responses, but vaccine development remains challenging, so this builds on existing work while using unique long-term samples.
Where this research is happening
Berkeley, United States
- University of California Berkeley — Berkeley, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harris, Eva — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Harris, Eva
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.