# Longitudinal analysis to determine persistence of T cell responses induced by SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, natural infection with SARS-CoV-2, and human common cold coronaviruses

> **NIH NIH U19** · LA JOLLA INSTITUTE FOR IMMUNOLOGY · 2022 · $627,760

## Abstract

Project Summary: Project 1
The current LJI HIPC Proposal focuses on common pathogens causing infectious diseases of the respiratory
tract. Here in Project 1, our focus is to define changes of antigen-specific T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2
vaccination over time, up to 3 years post vaccination; and compare them to those observed in natural infection
or previously-infected, but now recently-vaccinated subjects.
We will examine T cell phenotypes defined by cytometric analysis of reference panels of markers. T cell sub-
populations defined by transcriptomes of single-cells, and T cell clonality defined by single-cell T cell receptor
(TCR) sequence analysis. These unbiased studies will define features associated with the magnitude and
persistence of antigen-specific T cell responses.
The data generated in the context of SARS-CoV-2 will then be compared the data to T cell responses induced
by natural infection with common cold coronaviruses (CCC). This will provide a comparator with other much less
pathogenic coronaviruses.
Our studies will further detail and compare the results of vaccination with different SARS-CoV-2 vaccine
platforms (Moderna, Pfizer, J&J and others that might be authorized). In parallel, we will investigate samples
from two studies involving two commonly utilized vaccines, namely those against Yellow Fever and Pertussis.
Finally, our studies will also provide a large cross-sectional cohort, to address, on one hand, differences in
disease severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe, and the impact of variables such as age, sex, ethnicity,
disease severity, and exposure to CCC viruses on the magnitude and persistence of vaccine-induced T cell
responses.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10419453
- **Project number:** 2U19AI118626-08
- **Recipient organization:** LA JOLLA INSTITUTE FOR IMMUNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** Alessandro Sette
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $627,760
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2015-06-15 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10419453

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10419453, Longitudinal analysis to determine persistence of T cell responses induced by SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, natural infection with SARS-CoV-2, and human common cold coronaviruses (2U19AI118626-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10419453. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*
