IDEAL: How the microbiome shapes vaccine response, infections, and asthma in kids
Official title: Clinical Core: IDEAL shapes vaccine response, susceptibility to respiratory infectious disease and asthma
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11496683 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses data from thousands of children to understand how the microbiome affects vaccines, respiratory infections, and asthma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2026 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $94,350 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI168643-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11496683 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and young people whose data or samples are part of the RCC, EPIC-HIPC, or Rome IDEAL cohorts and who meet the study's sample collection criteria.
✕Less likely to help
Children who do not contribute samples or data, or whose cohorts are not part of the IDEAL program, may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
The Microbiome Core at Boston Children’s Hospital will generate and analyze advanced microbiome data from nasal and fecal samples collected from diverse international cohorts. By linking microbiome profiles with clinical outcomes like vaccine response, infection-proneness, and asthma, the study aims to identify patterns that predict these traits. The work will combine high-quality sequencing data with clinical information to uncover potential targets for therapeutic or preventive strategies in pediatric populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to better prediction of who might have stronger vaccine responses or lower risk of severe infections and asthma in children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked the microbiome to immune development and vaccine outcomes in children, with expanding evidence supporting microbiome-informed strategies.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Levy, Ofer — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Levy, Ofer
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IDEAL: How early-life immune development shapes vaccine responses and asthma risk
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A large NIH project will build a cloud-based system to map how early-life immune development relates to vaccine responses, respiratory infections, and asthma in children.
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IDEAL: How immune systems develop in early life shape vaccines, infections, and asthma
A patient-friendly overview of a program at Boston Children’s Hospital exploring how early immune development affects vaccine responses, respiratory infections, and asthma in children.
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.