How vaccines work for people with solid organ transplants
Official title: Effects of Vaccination on Acute and Post-Acute Respiratory Viral Infection Outcomes in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11353798 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how vaccines protect people with solid organ transplants from respiratory viruses like COVID-19, flu, and RSV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | June 13, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,454,101 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI190359-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11353798 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have received solid organ transplants and are under regular follow-up, including those on standard immunosuppressive regimens.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without organ transplants or those not at risk for severe respiratory infections are unlikely to benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Solid organ transplant recipients are highly vulnerable to respiratory viral infections due to weakened immune systems. This study will use a large national cohort to track acute and post-acute outcomes of infections such as SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and influenza in vaccinated individuals and will examine how current vaccines perform in real-world settings for this group. Researchers will collect infection data, screen for asymptomatic cases, and analyze how vaccination timing and immune responses relate to protection. The goal is to understand vaccine effectiveness and identify factors that influence breakthrough infections and recovery in SOTRs, with the aim of guiding better vaccination strategies for these patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with transplants could receive more effective vaccination approaches and better guidance to reduce severe illness and long-term complications from respiratory viruses.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows vaccine performance can vary in immunocompromised patients, and larger observational cohorts are needed to confirm real-world effectiveness.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Werbel, William — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Werbel, William
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Impact of vaccination on respiratory infections in organ transplant patients
This study looks at how well vaccines work to protect people who have had organ transplants from serious respiratory infections like COVID-19, helping to ensure they stay healthy despite their weakened immune systems.
-
Vaccination responses in lung transplant patients
This grant studies how people who have received lung transplants respond to COVID-19 vaccines and why their antibody responses may be limited.
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COVID-19 vaccine responses in kidney transplant patients taking mycophenolate
This project looks at how the anti-rejection drug mycophenolate affects COVID-19 vaccine protection in people with kidney transplants.
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Vaccine responses in people with lung transplants
This project looks at how well COVID-19 vaccines trigger immune protection in people who have had lung transplants.
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Using specialized immune cells to prevent viral infections in children after stem cell transplants.
This study is looking at a new way to help prevent viral infections in kids who have had a stem cell transplant by using special immune cells from their donor, given three weeks after the transplant, to see if this can keep them healthier compared to the usual treatment that only helps after infections happen.
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Understanding how kidney transplant patients respond to COVID-19 vaccination while on specific immunosuppressive therapy
This study is looking at how kidney transplant patients taking a medication called mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) respond to COVID-19 vaccines, and whether stopping this medication before getting vaccinated could help them build a stronger immune response and better protect them against the virus.
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.