How the immune system affects catching, spreading, and clearing the flu
Innate and adaptive immune factors in the acquisition, expulsion and transmission of influenza virus infection
This project looks at how people's immune systems affect whether they catch, spread, or clear influenza so vaccines and other measures can better stop transmission.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323043 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will collect blood and nasal samples from people before, during, and after influenza infection or exposure to capture the timing of immune responses. They will compare local (airway) and systemic immune activity and focus on both innate (immediate) and adaptive (B cell and antibody) responses. The team will use lab assays and bioinformatics to find immune patterns that link to how much virus someone carries, how likely they are to pass it on, and how quickly they recover. The goal is to map immune features in donors and recipients that could guide vaccine or prevention strategies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who can provide blood and nasal samples and who either develop influenza or are recently exposed to someone with flu and can be followed closely.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment for their current illness should not expect direct medical benefit from participating in this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify immune markers or pathways that lead to better vaccines or interventions that reduce flu spread and severity.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies and vaccine-focused human studies have revealed immune mechanisms, but few human studies have captured early local airway responses during natural infection, making this approach relatively novel for human influenza transmission.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sekaly, Rafick Pierre — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Sekaly, Rafick Pierre
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.