VRC 900: Evaluation of Tissue-Specific Immune Responses in Adults 18 Years of Age and Older

• To evaluate blood and other tissue samples for immune responses to vacciness and natural infections. [ Time Frame: As indicated for evaluation of immune responses to particular infection and/or vaccination regimen ]
  

Protocol Design:

This is a specimen, imaging and data collection protocol designed with the purpose of understanding the immune responses to vaccines and infections in adult subjects through collection of tissue specimens and medical history data, and radiographic imaging. The information gained will enhance the knowledge of immune correlates of protection and will help in laboratory work related to the development and validation of immunological assays. This protocol will allow Vaccine Research Center (VRC) investigators and collaborators to evaluate tissue level immune responses in subjects who are recipients of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-licensed vaccines, recipients of VRC clinical trials vaccines, control subjects, and naturally infected subjects as examples of naturally acquired immunity. Immune responses will be evaluated using blood, body fluids, mucosal and tissue samples, radiographic imaging and clinical evaluations. The underlying hypothesis for this protocol is that detailed studies of immune responses in blood and a diversity of tissue types, including a variety of mucosal surfaces, will further the understanding of immune responses following vaccination or recovery from an infectious disease and will advance development of vaccines against existing, new, and re-emerging pathogens.

Subjects:

Volunteers 18 years of age and older who agree to donate specimens for research purposes will be enrolled. A maximum of 500 subjects will be enrolled in the protocol.

Study Plan:

Subjects will receive information about study procedures and, if willing to participate, will sign the study informed consent. FDA-licensed vaccines may be administered to some study subjects as part of study participation. As per NIH Clinical Center (CC) policy, where appropriate, subjects will provide additional informed consent for study procedures.

Duration:

Individual subjects may donate samples as often as permitted by the protocol and NIH CC guidelines. The CC guidance on the volume of blood drawn and other inpatient/outpatient procedures will be followed. The protocol will undergo continuing review by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) annually.