# Novel adjuvant to boost humoral and cellular immune responses against influenza

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND · 2020 · $410,303

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Influenza is a highly contagious viral infectious diseases and causes 250,000-500,000 deaths and 3-5 million
severe illnesses each year worldwide. Cellular immunity is crucial to eliminate virus-infected cells and promote
recovery. Cellular immunity against conserved antigens can also confer protection against drifted influenza
viruses. Current influenza vaccines mainly induce neutralizing antibodies against highly variable surface
antigens and poorly induces cellular immunity. Adjuvants are promising to enhance influenza vaccine-induced
humoral and cellular immune responses. Yet, current adjuvants approved to boost influenza vaccination mainly
enhance humoral immune responses with little effects on cellular immunity. This project develops a physical
radiofrequency (RF)-based adjuvant (RFA) with potent humoral and cellular adjuvant effects to boost influenza
vaccination with minimal local, systemic or long-term side effects. Our preliminary studies identified potent
humoral and cellular adjuvants effects of non-invasive RF treatment on several vaccine antigens, such as
model antigen ovalbumin, recombinant hemagglutinin, and pandemic 2009 influenza H1N1 vaccine. The
humoral RFA effects are comparable and cellular RFA effects are superior to the most potent adjuvant used in
influenza vaccines. We hypothesize the novel RFA will significantly boost influenza vaccine-induced humoral
and cellular immune responses, resulting in increased protection against vaccine and non-vaccine viral strains.
Three specific aims are proposed: To optimize RFA effects and delineate adjuvantation mechanisms (specific
aim 1); To explore RFA to boost seasonal and pre-pandemic influenza vaccination (specific aim 2); To develop
RFA-based universal T cell vaccine (specific aim 3). Safety and potency of RFA will be first explored in murine
models and then validated in miniature pigs. The success of this project will allow us to submit Investigational
Device Exemption applications to explore RFA to boost influenza vaccination in clinics. Our ultimate goal is to
develop a handheld RF device for convenient and cost-effective adjuvantation of influenza vaccination.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9906844
- **Project number:** 5R01AI139473-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
- **Principal Investigator:** Xinyuan Chen
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $410,303
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-05-15 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9906844

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9906844, Novel adjuvant to boost humoral and cellular immune responses against influenza (5R01AI139473-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9906844. Licensed CC0.

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