R01AI173504
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on respiratory viral immune responses in children with and without asthma - Project Summary
SARS-CoV-2 infections in children are mostly milder and less lethal than in adults. This lower incidence of relevant disease associated with SARS-CoV-2 has surprisingly also been observed for children with asthma, the most common chronic respiratory and inflammatory disease in children.
As social distancing and masks have dramatically but temporarily decreased the spread of common viral respiratory infections, this created the positive effect of a significant decrease of viral-triggered asthma in children. The growing prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and the resurgence of non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viral infections make it critical and timely to understand how SARS-CoV-2 infection shapes respiratory outcomes and immune responses to other respiratory viruses and the upcoming SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
In addition to a strong genetic predisposition, asthma is strongly linked to viral respiratory infections, and infectious stimuli can have long-term epigenetic consequences that shape immune responses to subsequent infections. We propose that a common genetic variation that alters sphingolipid levels in children with asthma may also result in limited pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 in children with asthma.
This proposal aims to test the hypothesis that common genetic variation in asthma moderates age-dependent outcomes and immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccines utilizing an NYC pediatric asthma cohort that was started early in the pandemic. This cohort is uniquely suited to the hypothesis as it (1) includes children of all ages with and without asthma; (2) is enriched for children from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds associated with health disparities and high exposure to SARS-CoV-2; and (3) has already enrolled more than three hundred with a high antibody positivity rate since May 2020.
The availability of detailed questionnaire data on asthma and SARS-CoV-2 exposure, biospecimen that include blood (including stored PBMC), and nasal samples will enable us to address these three specific aims, to (1) determine the age-dependent effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on subsequent respiratory health in asthmatic children; (2) define the epigenetic and transcriptomic effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on hematopoietic stem cells, and (3) define the effects of common genetic asthma risk alleles on responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection of nasal epithelial cells and subsequent infection with respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus.
These studies will be supported by a team with expertise in viral immunology, pediatric asthma, and epigenetics of immune responses and will inform on age- and disease-specific impact and mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 and common respiratory viruses in children.
SARS-CoV-2 infections in children are mostly milder and less lethal than in adults. This lower incidence of relevant disease associated with SARS-CoV-2 has surprisingly also been observed for children with asthma, the most common chronic respiratory and inflammatory disease in children.
As social distancing and masks have dramatically but temporarily decreased the spread of common viral respiratory infections, this created the positive effect of a significant decrease of viral-triggered asthma in children. The growing prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and the resurgence of non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viral infections make it critical and timely to understand how SARS-CoV-2 infection shapes respiratory outcomes and immune responses to other respiratory viruses and the upcoming SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
In addition to a strong genetic predisposition, asthma is strongly linked to viral respiratory infections, and infectious stimuli can have long-term epigenetic consequences that shape immune responses to subsequent infections. We propose that a common genetic variation that alters sphingolipid levels in children with asthma may also result in limited pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 in children with asthma.
This proposal aims to test the hypothesis that common genetic variation in asthma moderates age-dependent outcomes and immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccines utilizing an NYC pediatric asthma cohort that was started early in the pandemic. This cohort is uniquely suited to the hypothesis as it (1) includes children of all ages with and without asthma; (2) is enriched for children from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds associated with health disparities and high exposure to SARS-CoV-2; and (3) has already enrolled more than three hundred with a high antibody positivity rate since May 2020.
The availability of detailed questionnaire data on asthma and SARS-CoV-2 exposure, biospecimen that include blood (including stored PBMC), and nasal samples will enable us to address these three specific aims, to (1) determine the age-dependent effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on subsequent respiratory health in asthmatic children; (2) define the epigenetic and transcriptomic effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on hematopoietic stem cells, and (3) define the effects of common genetic asthma risk alleles on responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection of nasal epithelial cells and subsequent infection with respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus.
These studies will be supported by a team with expertise in viral immunology, pediatric asthma, and epigenetics of immune responses and will inform on age- and disease-specific impact and mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 and common respiratory viruses in children.
Funding Goals
NOT APPLICABLE
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
New York,
New York
100654805
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 291% from $812,349 to $3,173,879.
Weill Medical College Of Cornell University was awarded
Pediatric Asthma & SARS-CoV-2 Immune Response Study
Project Grant R01AI173504
worth $3,173,879
from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in July 2023 with work to be completed primarily in New York New York United States.
The grant
has a duration of 5 years and
was awarded through assistance program 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 7/6/26
Period of Performance
7/1/23
Start Date
6/30/28
End Date
Funding Split
$3.2M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$3.2M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to R01AI173504
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
R01AI173504
SAI Number
R01AI173504-119823492
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Private Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NM00 NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Funding Office
75NM00 NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Awardee UEI
YNT8TCJH8FQ8
Awardee CAGE
1UMU6
Performance District
NY-12
Senators
Kirsten Gillibrand
Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0885) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $812,349 | 100% |
Modified: 7/6/26