# PROJECT 1: IMMUNE MEMORY

> **NIH NIH U19** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $673,340

## Abstract

Our long-term goal is to understand the cellular and molecular basis of immunological memory in humans. We
will address this important question in Project 1 by doing a detailed analysis of both humoral and cellular immunity
in a longitudinal cohort of over > 700 COVID-19 patients that we have been following for the past three years
and will now follow for another five years. These patients were recruited at our two clinical sites located in Atlanta
(Emory University) and Seattle (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center). This combined cohort consists of individuals
who were first infected with SARS-CoV-2 and then got the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccine, and some
individuals who received the vaccine first and then got infected. Many of these individuals have then gotten
booster shots with the vaccine and several of them have also had additional breakthrough infections. During this
three-year period of multiple antigen encounters of various combinations of infection and vaccination, we have
collected between 5-10 longitudinal blood samples from each patient. We now propose to follow these patients
for another five years and will collect 3-4 samples per year from each patient. Thus, we will have 20-30
longitudinal blood samples from each patient over an 8-year period. In addition, in the next five years we will also
collect bone marrow aspirates and mucosal samples from a subset of these individuals. The Specific Aims of
Project 1 are as follows: Aim 1: To determine the magnitude and durability of humoral and cellular immunity in
the entire cohort of > 700 COVID-19 patients over a period of 8 years. Aim 2: To examine the evolution of
memory B cell responses and determine the longevity of bone marrow plasma cells. Aim 3. To track
differentiation of T cells over time and define the transcriptional and epigenetic signatures of virus specific
memory CD8 and CD4 T cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10825211
- **Project number:** 2U19AI057266-21
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Rafi Ahmed
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $673,340
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2003-09-01 → 2029-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10825211

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10825211, PROJECT 1: IMMUNE MEMORY (2U19AI057266-21). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10825211. Licensed CC0.

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