What makes the flu spread between people
Drivers of influenza A virus transmission in humans
Using carefully monitored flu infections in volunteers, researchers will track how influenza A grows, how the immune system responds, and how infectious aerosols are produced.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323033 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would be intentionally infected with seasonal influenza A under close medical supervision in a controlled human infection setting so researchers can collect frequent samples. The team will take swabs and blood from different body sites and capture air samples to measure viral levels and infectious particles over time. They will compare how virus, immune responses, and aerosol production vary between people and between anatomical sites. Safety monitoring, treatment options, and close follow-up would be provided throughout participation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy adults eligible for controlled influenza challenge studies, typically without high-risk chronic conditions and able to stay at the study site for monitoring.
Not a fit: People at high risk for severe influenza—such as young children, pregnant people, older adults, or those with serious chronic illnesses—are unlikely to be eligible and would not directly benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways to prevent flu spread, such as improved masks, ventilation guidelines, or timing of treatments to reduce infectiousness.
How similar studies have performed: Controlled human infection studies with influenza and other respiratory viruses have been done before and provided useful insights, though combining detailed aerosol measurements with high-resolution immune and viral dynamics is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lowen, Anice C — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Lowen, Anice C
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.