Why flu vaccine protection differs between people
Drivers of individual variation in influenza vaccine response and protection from infection
This project looks at immune markers, past infections, and personal traits to understand who gains strong protection from flu vaccines and who does not.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11111369 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would share your vaccination and infection history and give blood samples so researchers can measure antibodies and other immune signals. The team will combine those lab measurements with personal factors like age, sex, and body mass to find patterns linked to better or worse protection after vaccination. They will compare responses to the flu hemagglutinin protein and other immune markers and use predictive models to explain individual differences. The goal is to use real-world patient data to improve how vaccines protect people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People of various ages who plan to receive seasonal influenza vaccination or who have recent flu vaccination or infection histories would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment for an active severe influenza infection would not directly benefit from participating in this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help tailor flu vaccination strategies and improve how well vaccines protect different people.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies established that hemagglutinin antibody levels relate to protection but have not fully explained individual differences, so this work builds on known findings with broader data.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cobey, Sarah — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Cobey, Sarah
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.