Understanding Immune Responses to COVID-19 Vaccines in Young Children
Determinants of Early Childhood Immune Responses
This work looks at how young children's bodies respond to COVID-19 vaccines, especially if they've had COVID-19 before.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144513 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We want to understand how young children, specifically those aged 6 months to 4 years, develop protection after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. We are particularly interested in whether having had a COVID-19 infection before vaccination changes how their immune system reacts. By studying their immune responses in detail, we hope to find the best ways to protect them from COVID-19 and related conditions like MIS-C. This information could help improve future vaccination plans for our youngest populations.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this type of work would be young children aged 6 months to 4 years who are receiving SARS-CoV-2 immunization, including those with and without prior COVID-19 infection.
Not a fit: Patients outside the 6 months to 4 years age range or those not receiving SARS-CoV-2 immunization would not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better vaccination strategies and timing for young children, offering more effective and lasting protection against COVID-19.
How similar studies have performed: While general vaccine response studies exist, this specific focus on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine responses in young children with prior infection, and optimal timing, represents a novel and important area of investigation.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Prahl, Mary — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Prahl, Mary
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 below.