How vaccines train the immune system to protect against respiratory viruses
Mechanisms of Immune Protection Against Respiratory Viruses
This project aims to learn how vaccines and infections help adults develop broad, long-lasting immune protection against COVID-19 and similar respiratory viruses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182558 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the center will study adults to understand how immune 'training' after vaccination creates long-lived antibody and memory cell responses. One project focuses on how germinal centers (where B cells mature) persist after vaccination and how that shapes helper T cells, memory B cells, and bone marrow antibody-producing cells. A second project compares immune responses in the blood and at mucosal sites to find which responses give broader, longer-lasting protection. Clinical and proteomics cores will run the patient visits, collect blood and mucosal samples, and perform advanced lab analyses to link immune patterns to vaccine design.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults aged 21 and older who can attend study visits at the research site and provide blood and mucosal samples, including people with or without prior COVID-19 vaccination or infection.
Not a fit: People under 21, those unable to travel to St. Louis for in-person visits, or those unwilling to provide biological samples would likely not be eligible or benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point the way to vaccines that give broader and longer-lasting protection against SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses.
How similar studies have performed: Prior COVID-19 vaccine and immune-monitoring studies have shown that germinal center activity and mucosal immunity are important, but this coordinated center-level approach aims to broaden and deepen those findings.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ellebedy, Ali Hassan — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Ellebedy, Ali Hassan
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.