Understanding how early-life immune development affects vaccine responses and asthma risk in children
Official title: Project 3: In vitro modeling to define mechanisms of childhood vaccine response, susceptibility to respiratory infectious disease and asthma
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11496694 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses lab-grown human immune cells from infants and young children to explore why some kids respond poorly to vaccines and are more prone to 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) | $307,065 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI168643-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11496694 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are infants and young children whose immune development and response to vaccines are of interest, particularly those without serious contraindications to study participation.
✕Less likely to help
Children whose immune profiles do not align with the study’s in vitro models or who do not participate in any related clinical aspects may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital will study age-specific immune responses using in vitro models derived from children’s immune cells. They will examine how different immune pathways respond to vaccines, adjuvants, and potential modulators, and how these responses change with age. The goal is to identify molecular signals that drive favorable or unfavorable phenotypes so future strategies could improve vaccine effectiveness and reduce asthma risk in early life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to targeted approaches that improve vaccine responses and reduce respiratory illness and asthma in young children.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data from similar infant-immune models suggest the approach can reveal age-related immune pathways, supporting further exploration.
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
Related research
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IDEAL: How babies’ immune systems shape vaccines, infections and asthma
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.