Understanding how our bodies and germs affect COVID-19 risk and symptoms
Official title: Host-Microbe Interactions and SARS-CoV-2 Susceptibility and Symptoms in aNovel Human Challenge Model
Funded at Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst · NIH-11291372 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how the tiny germs living in our airways and our own genes might make some healthy people more or less likely to get sick with COVID-19.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $95,750 |
| NIH project number | 7R21AI178060-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11291372 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research uses data from healthy adults who previously participated in a controlled COVID-19 exposure study and had no prior infection or vaccination.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are currently ill with COVID-19 or those who have already been infected or vaccinated would not directly benefit from participating in this specific data analysis.
What this research studies
We want to understand why some people get COVID-19 easily or have worse symptoms, even when exposed to the same virus. This project uses information and samples from healthy adults who previously participated in a special study where they were carefully exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. By studying their upper airway germs (microbiome) and their gene activity, we hope to find natural factors that protect against or increase the risk of infection. This knowledge could help us develop better ways to prevent COVID-19 and create more effective treatments and vaccines.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies for preventing COVID-19 infection and developing more targeted treatments and vaccines.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds upon a novel 'first-in-human' SARS-CoV-2 challenge study, providing a unique opportunity to study host factors under controlled conditions.
Where this research is happening
-
Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst
Little Rock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kelly, Matthew Scott — Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst
- Study coordinator: Kelly, Matthew Scott
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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.