Project Grant R01AI201207

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded Duke University $703,187 on August 6, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855, Project Grant R01AI201207) to advance understanding of antigenically complex hemagglutinin vaccine formulation requirements and mechanisms of protection in universal influenza vaccine development.

The research addresses a core limitation of current influenza vaccines: they induce responses primarily against immunodominant but highly variable epitopes in the hemagglutinin head domain, necessitating annual updates and providing limited protection against heterologous strains. Duke's prior work demonstrated that vaccination with antigenically complex mixtures of hemagglutinin proteins—generated through synthetic biology to create greater than 10,000 variants with amino acid diversity in immunodominant epitopes—simultaneously elicits both head- and stalk-directed antibody responses. These improved responses led to enhanced breadth of viral binding, inhibition, and protection from challenge in both naive and pre-immune mice and ferrets compared to clonal parental controls. This award funds continued investigation of the antigen mixture requirements and protective mechanisms to assess potential for human application.

Work is performed in Durham, North Carolina, with a period of performance from August 6, 2026, through July 31, 2031. The award is a Project Grant, a standard assistance type for investigator-initiated research under the NIAID program.