TCR and BCR Repertoire

Project Title: Composition of T- and B-Cell Repertoire and Mapping of Virus-Specific T-Cell Receptor Sequences

NIAID Principal Investigator: Luigi Notarangelo, M.D.
Chief, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology
Chief, Immune Deficiency Genetics Section, LCIM

Host Genetics

Immune Response to COVID-19

Comprehensive analyses of innate and adaptive immune responses during acute COVID-19 infection and convalescence

The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented public health crisis. At present, our narrow understanding of the immune system’s response to the infection limits our capacity to prevent and treat severe disease. As part of the efforts outlined in the NIAID Strategic Plan for COVID-19 Research, NIAID researchers are spearheading a large, international collaboration to unveil the innate and adaptive immune responses during acute COVID-19 infection and convalescence. Each researcher will contribute their unique expertise to collectively elucidate the innate and adaptive immune response to COVID-19 infection. This synergistic coalition of researchers will work closely and share data to maximize the impact of patient samples. The overall goal is to identify immunological and virological correlates and predictors of clinical outcomes.

The research projects will examine the following:

  • Genetic markers of susceptibility to severe COVID-19 infection
  • Composition of T- and B-cell repertoire and mapping of virus-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) sequences
  • Cytokine and chemokine profiling, including interferon (IFN) signature and soluble markers of inflammation
  • Antibody responses to COVID-19 infection
  • Anti-cytokine autoantibodies
  • Levels of plasma gelsolin
  • Humoral immunological signature of the human virome
  • Anti-commensal antibody repertoire
  • Systems biology approach to understand changes in the immune system
  • Intrapatient SARS-CoV-2 genetic variation
  • Role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)

How To Contribute

This website is designed to inform physicians of the research occurring at NIAID. If interested in contributing to any or all of these research projects, please reach out to the contact person on the respective project page.

As of September 2024, several projects including collaborative studies with external sites are still being pursued, but research activity has greatly diminished with the tailing off of the pandemic.

Electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles

Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, isolated from a patient.

Credit: NIAID
Host Genetics

Researchers in the Human Immunological Diseases Section believe COVID-19 causes mild or no illness in some individuals and not others because of our genetic makeup. The lab will sequence and analyze the genomes of previously healthy patients who experienced severe or fatal COVID-19 infection.

Read more about host genetics research in severe COVID-19 infection
T-Cell and B-Cell Repertoires

The Immune Deficiency Genetics Section aims to analyze the dynamic changes that occur within an individual’s T-cell and B-cell repertoires during the transition from acute COVID-19 infection into convalescence.

Read more about T-cell and B-cell repertoires during COVID-19 recovery
Cytokine Profile

The Translational Autoinflammatory Diseases Section will harness the power of Nanostring and RNA-Seq to measure and characterize the pro-inflammatory cytokine signature of COVID-19. 

Read more about cytokine profiling of COVID-19
Antibody Response

The Medical Virology Section is interested in performing serologic studies to better understand the epidemiology of COVID-19 in specific cohorts.

Read more about SARS-CoV-2 antibody response
Analysis of Autoantibodies

Researchers in the Immunopathogenesis Section believe that anti-cytokine antibodies that can neutralize antiviral cytokines may contribute to COVID-19 disease progression, as they do in other immune-mediated diseases.

Read more about Analysis of Autoantibodies
Microbiome Immunity

The NIAID Microbiome Program and the Metaorganism Immunity Section propose that immune responses to the gut microbiota may predict which patients get very sick with COVID-19 while others remain asymptomatic. 

Read more about the microbiome immunity related to COVID-19 infection
Systems Immunology

The Multiscale Systems Biology Section will integrate computational approaches and several cutting-edge high-throughput methods to assess changes in the epigenome, transcriptome, and proteome throughout the course of COVID-19 disease.

Read more about systems immunology of COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2 Genetics

The Virus Persistence and Dynamics Section will explore the intrapatient diversity of SARS-CoV-2 sequences using high-throughput, long-read, single-molecule sequencing.

Read more about SARS-CoV-2 Genetics
Neutrophil Dysregulation in COVID-19

The Systemic Autoimmunity Branch at NIAMS will study in detail the role of neutrophil dysregulation and NETs in the induction of enhanced proinflammatory responses, tissue damage, vasculopathy, and prothrombotic manifestations.

Read more about Neutrophil Dysregulation in COVID-19
Participating Hospitals

We seek hospitals to collaborate in our research project by submitting samples. For sample requirements, see the specific project pages.

See the list of participating hospitals
Publications

These are original research publications using samples obtained from the NIAID COVID Consortium. Each paper addresses one or more of the scientific questions outlined in the project pages, with the goal of elucidating the immune response to COVID-19.

Read more about the publications
Content Coordinator
Sarah Weber

Evaluation of Patients With Immune Function Abnormalities

Use of G-CSF to Obtain Blood Cell Precursors

Type 1 Diabetes Extension Study (T1DES)

The goal of this study is to further the understanding of the immunologic mechanisms underlying maintenance and loss of beta cell function by evaluating the relationship between longitudinal changes in beta cell function and changes over time in biomarkers known to be associated with a response to immune modulating treatments used in prior clinical trials.

Study of Mycobacterial Infections

Study of Clinical Features and Genetics of Hyperimmunoglobulin E Recurrent Infection

The pathogenesis of this disease and long-term natural history is being investigated. Therefore, we seek to enroll patients and families with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of HIES syndrome for extensive phenotypic and genotypic study as well as disease management. 

Contact Information

Christine J Lafeer, R.N., (301) 761-6902
clafeer@niaid.nih.gov

Alexandra Freeman, M.D., (301) 594-9045
freemaal@mail.nih.gov

TrialNet Pathway to Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes

The goal of this study is to enhance understanding of the demographic, immunologic, and metabolic characteristics of individuals at risk for developing type 1 diabetes.

Contact Information

TrialNet Central Information Center
1-800-425-8361

Selected Clinical Trials About HIV/AIDS

NIAID is committed to conducting the research necessary to confront HIV/AIDS. Volunteer participation in a clinical research study helps NIAID better understand HIV, find promising new tools to prevent HIV infection including a vaccine, and develop new and more effective treatment strategies.
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