UConn Health, Center on Aging in partnership with The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), is committed to protecting the health and safety of our community with a shared mission of uncovering answers to the most pressing challenges of aging and health. If you are 65 years of age or older we would like to invite you to participate in a study aimed at better understanding immune system response to influenza (Flu) vaccines in older adults.
What are we studying? Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently. Even healthy people can become very sick from the flu and spread it to others. As we age, our immune defenses become weaker, which places older people at a greater risk for severe illness from influenza. We also know that with aging, the body’s ability to have a good immune response after receiving the influenza vaccine decreases. What we hope to learn from this study is the response to different types of influenza vaccines in older adults.
Who is eligible to participate?
You must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible to participate:
- Be of age 65 years or older (by Sept 1, 2022)
- You must have No history of a positive COVID-19 test result test within 3 months of anticipated flu vaccination for 2022-23 influenza season.
- You must not have any immunosuppressive disorders or be on any immunosuppressive medications.
- Be willing to receive the FDA-approved seasonal influenza vaccines as part of the study for three consecutive years.
What participation involves?
- Participants will be asked to receive an approved influenza vaccine at the usual time (October through early December) for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. All participants will receive a FDA-approved vaccine recommended by the CDC for older adults. Participants will receive a different type of influenza vaccine each year.
- There will be 19 visits over a period of three years (six visits around each flu vaccine) at the UConn Center on Aging with blood samples collected at 16 visits and both stool and swab samples (nasal and oral) collected at seven of these visits.
- All treatment and lab testing will be provided at no charge and you will receive monetary compensation for your participation.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please call (860) 679-3043 or email Lisa Pesce at Kenyon-Pesce@uchc.edu. Someone from the study team will call you back for a 15- minute screening interview.
IRB# 22-179J-1 George Kuchel, M.D. Principal Investigator, Center on Aging, Director
For more information, contact: Lisa Kenyon-Pesce at kenyon-pesce@uchc.edu