How young children's immune systems respond to COVID-19
Official title: Early life B cell responses and inflammation following SARS-CoV-2 infection
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11173627 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking at antibody and inflammation responses after COVID-19 in children and some adults to better understand why children often have milder illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $838,453 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI161008-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173627 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children (especially ages 0–11) who previously had SARS‑CoV‑2 infection, including asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases, and who can provide blood samples (with some adult participants for comparison).
✕Less likely to help
People without prior COVID‑19 infection or those unwilling/unable to give blood samples are unlikely to be eligible or to directly benefit from participation.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will collect blood samples from children (including very young children) and from adults who had COVID‑19, including people with no or mild symptoms. They'll measure antibody levels, B cell activity, and inflammation markers over time and test how those responses work against different virus variants. The team will compare mild or asymptomatic children's immune responses with those from hospitalized children and adults to find immune features that may protect kids. Results aim to improve understanding of reinfection risk and inform vaccination and public‑health decisions for children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify immune markers of protection in children and help guide pediatric vaccination and policies to keep kids safer.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have described antibody responses in adults and in severe pediatric cases (including MIS‑C), but long‑term B cell and inflammation responses in mild or asymptomatic children remain less studied.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fouda Amou Ou, Genevieve Giny — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Fouda Amou Ou, Genevieve Giny
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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.