# Immuno-Serological Assays for Monitoring COVID19 in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies

> **NIH NIH U01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $1,137,992

## Abstract

SUMMARY
Patients with hematologic malignancies appear to have a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Disease
courses are variable in severity, influenced by immunosuppression due to the malignancy and its treatment
determining the degree of immune-mediated hyperinflammation implicated in lung damage, multi-organ failure,
and death. This highlights the need for comprehensive clinical tests to monitor COVID19 patients, specifically,
with hematologic malignancies. We propose to develop and validate two novel immuno-serological assays that
will be deployed to conduct longitudinal measurement of plasma markers and peripheral blood immune cells
from COVID patients with different hematologic malignancies. First, we will develop an automated 32-plexed
plasma protein assay to quantify SARS-COV-2 IgG/IgM antibodies, cytokines/chemokines, angiogenesis
markers, endotheliopathy markers, and pro-thrombotic markers all combined in a high-density antibody
barcode array microchip. Second, we will develop a microchip assay for single-cell immune function
measurement to quantify cell types and 30+ immune effector proteins in peripheral blood immune from
patients. Single-cell transcriptome sequencing will be performed on select samples to cross-validate the results
and reveal the mechanisms of action in COVID-induced immune activation. Third, these new assays will be
deployed to measure a cohort of COVID19 patients with or without hematological malignancies and healthy
donors in order to identify potential molecular correlates with immune-mediated pathology and COVID disease
severity uniquely in hematological cancer patients. As the COVID19 vaccines become available, we will apply
these assays to monitoring vaccine-induced humoral, cellular, and immunological response in hematological
cancer patients and compare to non-cancer populations to understand differences and ways to improve the
success of vaccination in patients with hematologic malignancies – a vulnerable group of patients who may not
follow the same mechanisms as general populations in COVID19.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10855033
- **Project number:** 3U01CA260507-02S2
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Rong Fan
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $1,137,992
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10855033

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10855033, Immuno-Serological Assays for Monitoring COVID19 in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies (3U01CA260507-02S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10855033. Licensed CC0.

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