Memory B cell and antibody mapping
Official title: Core D: Bmem Analysis Core
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11468144 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Maps memory B cells and the antibodies people make after flu vaccination or infection to understand immune protection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2011 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $350,000 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI089618-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11468144 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People of any age who are willing to give blood after flu vaccination or infection and to share their samples for antibody analysis.
✕Less likely to help
People needing immediate medical treatment or those unwilling to provide blood samples are unlikely to receive direct medical benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would give a blood sample so the team can isolate memory B cells from people in different age groups. They grow individual B cells in the lab using a method called Nojima culture to produce the exact antibody each cell makes. The researchers test which viruses those antibodies bind to, how strongly they bind, and read the antibody genes to measure diversity and changes. Data are shared with other program labs to compare immune responses across people and studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help improve flu vaccines and antibody treatments by revealing which memory B cells and antibodies best protect people across ages.
How similar studies have gone: Related single-cell B cell cloning and antibody-sequencing methods have already identified protective antibodies, so this builds on established techniques.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuraoka, Masayuki — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kuraoka, Masayuki
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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.