$6.7M Grant Boosts Research on Kids’ Flu Immunity

TL/DR –

Aubree Gordon, an infectious disease researcher at the University of Michigan, has been granted $6.7 million by Flu Lab for a five-year study on influenza immunity development in children. The study, named FluGuardians, aims to enroll up to 850 infants in Ann Arbor and follow their immune responses to both flu infection and vaccination. The research will not only study natural infection and vaccine-imprinted immune responses, but also examine the broader immunological landscape, potentially informing the development and evaluation of next-generation and universal flu vaccines.

Important Discovery in Children’s Flu Immunity Development

Every parent dreads seeing their child ill, especially with flu. However, the first encounter a child has with influenza plays a critical role in determining their natural protection against future flu viruses. This immune response, known as imprinting, has fascinated researchers like University of Michigan’s Aubree Gordon for years.

Gordon, a distinguished professor and researcher at University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, has received a $6.7 million grant for her pioneering research into flu immunity development in children. The grant, funded by Flu Lab, supports Gordon’s Michigan Influenza Immunity Cohort, dubbed ‘FluGuardians’.

“This research is key in understanding how initial influenza exposure, either via infection or vaccination, impacts children’s long-term immune responses,” stated Gordon, the lead investigator at U-M Biosciences Initiative’s Michigan Center for Infectious Disease Threats. She expressed appreciation to Flu Lab for funding this transformative research on flu prevention and immunity.

U-M’s Research Foundation Partnerships Office, established in 2023, played a crucial role in securing this funding.

What is the FluGuardians Study All About?

The study, led by Gordon and her team, will focus on flu immunity development from infancy through childhood. The ambitious project plans to enroll around 850 infants within six weeks of birth in Ann Arbor, tracking their immune responses to flu infection and vaccination.

The FluGuardians study will collaborate with a Michigan Medicine-led study on food allergy, the Michigan Sibling Immunity Birth Study. Approximately 680-765 healthy children are expected to participate in both studies, offering valuable insights into not only natural infection and vaccine-imprinted immune responses but also the broader immunological landscape, like innate immunity.

The research will leverage standard serological testing, Luminex technology, and advanced machine learning techniques to analyze complex data. Joining forces with the existing Dissection of Influenza Vaccination and Infection for Childhood Immunity Consortium study, it will explore how initial exposures influence B and T cell responses. This could lead to tailored immunizations for children.

“Ann Arbor, known for high infant influenza vaccination rates and eager participation in research studies, is the ideal setting for this cohort study,” Gordon said. “Our relationship with the community provides a unique opportunity to address significant questions about influenza immunity.”

The study’s results will contribute significantly to flu research and inform the development and evaluation of next-generation and universal flu vaccines.

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