University of Minnesota
https://twin-cities.umn.edu/
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Milestone
2.2.b

Durability of protective immunity

In progress
High priority

Determine key mechanisms of durability of protective immunity following influenza virus infection, including the discovery of early biomarkers associated with durable immune responses.

Progress Highlights

Cortese 2025 used systems vaccinology to identify factors influencing the magnitude and durability of Ab responses in humans to H5N1 vaccine with and without AS03 adjuvant. The findings suggested a platelet-associated signature that predicted Ab response longevity, highlighting a conserved mechanism for vaccine durability.

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Arroyo-Diaz 2023 investigated the mechanisms that control lung-resident memory B-cell responses after intranasal influenza virus infection.

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Robinson 2023 analyzed the turnover and persistence of antigen-secreting plasma cells, which produce antibodies that underlie multiple forms of long-lasting immunity, in different tissues and at different ages. Results inform the understanding of the establishment and maintenance of long-lived humoral immunity.

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Langley 2022 examined the contribution of memory B-cells to the maintenance of virus-specific antibody levels following acute influenza virus infection in the murine model; data showed that virus-specific plasma cells in the bone marrow are intrinsically long-lived and can maintain serum antibody titers for extended periods of time without requiring significant replenishment from memory B-cells.

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Swain 2021 examined mechanisms underlying CD4 T- and B-cell effector responses and memory after influenza virus infection and found that CD4 T-cells require strong initial and extended signals from antigen and pathogen recognition to drive memory and specialized CD4 effectors (such as T follicular helper cell generation).

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Palin 2022 reported on outcomes from a NIAID-convened workshop in July 2022 to identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities regarding durable vaccine protection.

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