How the flu spreads between people
Clinical and Biostatistics Core
Healthy adults with low flu immunity will spend time near people who have influenza so researchers can test environmental and personal protection ways to reduce spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11103245 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Healthy adult volunteers with low or no antibodies to the current season's influenza will stay up to four days at a clinical research facility and be placed in contact with people who are naturally infected with flu. Participants will be randomly assigned to different environmental or personal protection interventions designed to limit airborne or contact transmission. The team will collect clinical and environmental samples to track viral spread and measure exposures. The core provides regulatory, safety, and biostatistics support and runs these controlled transmission comparisons at a Baltimore-area facility.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy adults aged 21 or older with low antibody levels to the current flu strains who can stay at the onsite research facility for several days.
Not a fit: People who currently have influenza, children, or anyone unable to remain onsite for the required period are unlikely to be eligible or to receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to practical measures that reduce influenza transmission and lower infections in the community.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier controlled influenza transmission experiments have produced useful findings, but this program expands the scope and systematically tests environmental and personal protection approaches in a controlled setting.
Where this research is happening
College Park, United States
- Univ of Maryland, College Park — College Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Wilbur H. — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Chen, Wilbur H.
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.