# Mechanisms of Immune Protection Against Respiratory Viruses

> **NIH NIH U19** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $2,380,350

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT - OVERALL
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for better understanding of the mechanisms controlling
broadly protective immune responses to rapidly evolving viral pathogens and generating vaccine candidates
able to elicit such responses. The Washington University Cooperative Center on Human Immunology (WashU-
CCHI) application (Mechanisms of Immune Protection Against Respiratory Viruses) proposes a
comprehensive research plan towards two main goals: (a) defining the mechanisms of germinal center
persistence after vaccination in humans and how germinal center dynamics impact engagement of de novo B
cells and generation of robust CD4+ T cell, long-lived memory B cell, and bone marrow plasma cell responses
(Project 1); (b) determining the functional caliber of systemic and mucosal immune responses to vaccines and
infection and how these impact durability, breadth, and protection (Project 2). Three Cores will synergize with
the two research projects to support the successful completion of the research aims. The Administrative Core
(Core A) will manage the consortium, coordinate cross-project activities, and create the structure and
environment needed to accomplish WashU-CCHI’s goals. The Clinical Core (Core B) will provide the clinical
and statistical expertise to support the design and conduct of the human subjects’ research studies conducted
under Projects 1 and 2. The Proteomics Core (Core C) will capitalize on an array of unique technologies for
the interrogation of the circulating antibody protein and B cell repertoires in samples collected under Projects 1
and 2. The integrated and synergistic activities across these Projects and Cores will drive the successful
completion of the WashU-CCHI’s ambitious research agenda, enabling achievement of our long-term goals of
providing key insights on human immune responses and informing evaluation of new mucosal vaccines targeting
the human respiratory tract against existing and emerging respiratory viral pathogens.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10824574
- **Project number:** 1U19AI181103-01
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael S Diamond
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $2,380,350
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-04 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10824574

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10824574, Mechanisms of Immune Protection Against Respiratory Viruses (1U19AI181103-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10824574. Licensed CC0.

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