# Examining the Effects of Immulina to Increase Immune Resilience against Influenza Virus Infections

> **NIH NIH U19** · UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI · 2020 · $423,031

## Abstract

PROJECT 2: ABSTRACT/SUMMARY 
 The proposed University of Mississippi (UM) Botanical Dietary Supplements Research Center (BDSRC) is 
focused on filling in knowledge gaps related to the potential for the Spirulina-based product, ImmulinaTM, to 
promote resilience against and/or recovery from influenza and, by extension, other respiratory viral infections. 
During the 2017-18 reporting year in the U.S. alone, influenza resulted in 959,000 patient hospitalizations and 
79,400 deaths. 
 The UM BDSRC will be composed of an Administration Core, a Botanical Core, and two research projects. 
Project 2, Evaluation of ImmulinaTM Oral Supplement for Host Resistance to Influenza Virus Infection, will be 
directed by Gailen Marshall, MD, PhD, Professor and Executive Director of the Mississippi Clinical Research 
and Trials Center at UM Medical Center. Working closely with him will be Khalid Ashfaq, PhD, DVM, DTVM. 
 Project 2 is designed to include studies utilizing both mouse models (Years 1-2) and biomarker-based 
human models (Years 3-5) aimed at establishing the impact of ImmulinaTM supplementation on increasing host 
resilience against the pathogenic effects of influenza virus infection. It will investigate the following 
hypothesis: ImmulinaTM given in its optimal oral form will alter the host antiviral immune response, manifested 
by increases in NK cell numbers and/or activity, anti-flu H and N antibody titers, and CD8+ cytotoxic T 
lymphocytes (CTL) against flu-infected cells. 
 To investigate our hypothesis, we will achieve the following specific aims: 
1. Evaluate oral administration of ImmulinaTM in three non-lethal mouse models of resilience against influenza 
 A virus infection (prophylaxis, prodrome and recovery) to determine the most effective utility of ImmulinaTM 
 for enhancing host immunity to improve antiviral resilience; 
2. Confirm that activation of the TLR2 signaling pathway by Braun-type lipoproteins is a primary causal 
 mechanism through which ImmulinaTM enhances host immunity against antiviral infection; 
3. Determine the optimal form and dosage of the ImmulinaTM-based supplement in the human model that will 
 maximize effects on increasing NK cell numbers and/or activity, increased supporting cytokines (IL-15, IL- 
 2, IGNg), influenza-specific antibody titers and CTL numbers; 
4. Establish the timeline for optimal NK, cytokine, antibody and CTL responses in terms of both initial changes 
 and maximal changes and duration of the change once the ImmulinaTM is discontinued in normal and 
 immune compromised (elderly) human research participants; and 
5. Examine the effects of routine influenzas vaccine given before, during, or after ImmulinaTM use to 
 investigate influenza antigen-specific immune responses in individuals receiving ImmulinaTM supplement vs 
placebo.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9916573
- **Project number:** 1U19AT010838-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
- **Principal Investigator:** GAILEN D. MARSHALL
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $423,031
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9916573

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9916573, Examining the Effects of Immulina to Increase Immune Resilience against Influenza Virus Infections (1U19AT010838-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9916573. Licensed CC0.

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