Models to understand how flu spreads indoors

Developing and Applying Analytical Models of Influenza Transmission

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · NIH-11103256

This project measures how influenza virus in exhaled breath moves through indoor air to help protect people who live, work, or gather indoors.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK (nih funded)
Locations1 site (COLLEGE PARK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11103256 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If I join, the team will collect my exhaled breath samples in a controlled clinic using new air-sampling and virus-detection tools. They will run a cohort of human participants and combine those measurements with detailed airflow studies and computer simulations that track virus-laden particles from donors to potential recipients. The project develops both high-fidelity simulations and simpler 'well-mixed' models so the findings can be used in other settings and by public-health planners. The goal is to create data-driven links between a person who emits infectious aerosols and others who might be exposed indoors.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who can visit the University of Maryland clinic, are willing to provide exhaled breath samples, and may include people with recent flu-like illness or household contacts.

Not a fit: People who cannot travel to the study site or who have no risk of indoor exposure are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to clearer guidance on ventilation, masking, and other measures that reduce indoor flu exposure.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have detected influenza in exhaled aerosols and linked ventilation to risk, but directly tracing infectious aerosols from specific donors to recipients with combined high-fidelity models is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

COLLEGE PARK, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.