Understanding how COVID-19 affects children's immune systems, especially those with asthma
Official title: Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on respiratory viral immune responses in children with and without asthma
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11125785 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how COVID-19 infection changes how children, both with and without asthma, respond to other common respiratory viruses and future vaccines.
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 | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $796,394 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI173504-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11125785 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this type of research would be children between 0-11 years old, both with and without asthma, particularly those who have experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection.
✕Less likely to help
Adults or individuals without respiratory conditions like asthma would likely not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
We want to understand why children often have milder COVID-19 symptoms, even those with asthma, which is a common breathing condition. Our team is studying how a past COVID-19 infection might change a child's immune system, affecting how they react to other viruses and upcoming COVID-19 vaccines. We are also exploring if a specific genetic difference in children with asthma might protect them from severe COVID-19. This work uses information from a group of children with asthma in New York City who have been followed since the start of the pandemic.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help us better protect children with asthma from respiratory infections and improve vaccine strategies for all children.
How similar studies have gone: This research builds upon existing knowledge of asthma's link to viral infections and utilizes an established pediatric asthma cohort, suggesting a foundation in prior work.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Worgall, Stefan — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Worgall, Stefan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on kids with and without asthma
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How SARS-CoV-2 infection affects immune responses in children with and without asthma
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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.