Wednesday, January 28, 2026 1/28/2026

Effects of obesity on the dynamics of Influenza transmission

Award Number: R01AI140766
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/10/2019
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2025

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Effects of obesity on the dynamics of Influenza transmission - OVERALL ABSTRACT We, and others have shown that obesity is an independent risk factor for developing severe influenza infection. However, the impact goes beyond disease severity. Viral clearance is impacted leading to prolonged viral shedding. Vaccine efficacy is reduced and a recent study showed that overweight/obese adults shed influenza virus 102% longer than average weight people. Using our newly developed diet-induced obese (DIO) ferret model we now show that obesity impacts influenza transmission. An avian H9N2 virus that does not transmit via airborne droplets in lean ferrets transmits in 100% of obese animals tested. These findings have dramatic ramifications considering that the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that most of the world’s population lives in countries where being overweight and obese is more prevalent than being underweight. Our overall goal is to determine how obesity impacts influenza virus transmission. We will determine whether enhanced transmission is due to changes in the virus, to increased susceptibility of the obese host, or to a combination of both, answering questions on whether the virus evolves differently in the obese host as compared to the lean host. Finally, we will explore whether vaccination protects lean and obese hosts. We hypothesize that obese hosts, who have reduced immune function, may be acting as reservoirs for viruses, allowing them to efficiently adapt to the new host and form genetic variants that can potentially be more easily transmitted. Our proposed studies will fill a gap in knowledge by being the first work aimed at also understanding host factors involved in transmission and the role of vaccination in stopping these events. To accomplish our goal, we have proposed the following three interconnected but independent specific aims that will address host-virus interactions: 1. Characterize virus diversity and quantify the dynamics of transmission. 2. Explore vaccine-based protection in the obese host and its effect on transmission. 3. Determine host susceptibility to influenza infection in the obese host. We are uniquely suited to undertake this work given our combined expertise in influenza evolution and transmission dynamics by deep sequencing, and impact of obesity on influenza disease severity and vaccine responses. In addition to the obese ferret model, we have developed innovative tools to define the host response in ferrets that will be invaluable to many investigators. Finally, we have access to longitudinal nasal washes from influenza-infected human cohorts with corresponding body-mass index (BMI) data allowing us to begin translating our findings to human health. In the long term, these studies may reveal critical new information on the public health impact of obesity on influenza infection, transmission, and vaccine protection. Information that is likely to extend beyond influenza.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = -$1 )
2026	2023	ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	5	1/22/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$1
														Subtotal = -$1

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $810,075 )
2023	2023	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	5	5/24/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$810,075
														Subtotal = $810,075

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $811,115 )
2022	2022	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	4	5/18/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$811,115
														Subtotal = $811,115

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $809,283 )
2021	2021	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	3	5/5/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$809,283
														Subtotal = $809,283

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $946,935 )
2020	2020	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	2	5/13/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$786,815
2020	2020	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	001	2	8/3/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2020	2020	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	003	2	9/10/2020	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$0
2020	2020	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	002	2	8/18/2020	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$160,120
														Subtotal = $946,935

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $769,323 )
2019	2019	ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.	262 DANNY THOMAS PL	MEMPHIS	TN	38105	SHELBY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	6/6/2019	NEW	$769,323
														Subtotal = $769,323

Grand Total All Awards = $4,146,730

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Effects of obesity on the dynamics of Influenza transmission

Award Number: R01AI140766

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/10/2019

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2025

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