Mucosal Study

Help us investigate the response of cells in the nose, lung and blood after respiratory infections

You are invited to take part in a study to examine the responses of cells in the nose, lung and blood soon after respiratory infections, such as COVID-19, flu and cold like infections in adults.

The study is being led by the Oxford Vaccine Group, which is part of the University of Oxford, and is taking place at the Oxford Vaccine Group, Centre for Clinical Vaccinology & Tropical Medicine (CCVTM).

If you are either 18 to 85 years old, in good health and live in the Thames Valley area, then you may be eligible to take part. We will provide reimbursement from £450 to £985, depending on the follow-up duration and procedures, for your time, inconvenience and travel. The total study participation time is up to 12 months.

Background

When viruses and bacteria enter our airways/ lungs can cause severe infections but can sometimes cause no symptoms at all. When our body “remembers” these pathogens, it can act quickly and eliminate the infection before symptoms develop. This ‘immunological memory’ protects the person from serious illness, but importantly also reduces the spread of disease to others. Immunological memory can be achieved by vaccination or previous infection, but we don’t know how long this immune memory can last. Cells in our lungs have the ability to live longer and potentially remember for longer. By understanding the differences between cells in our blood and those in our airways, we can design better vaccines, which will give greater protection against disease-causing bacteria and viruses protecting those at-risk.

Study Goals

This study will examine the responses of cells in the nose, lung and blood soon after respiratory infections, such as COVID, flu and cold like infections in adults.

Study Details

If you are eligible and decide to take part, we will need to do a research bronchoscopy to understand the immune response in the lungs. A research bronchoscopy is a safe and well-tolerated procedure that involves looking into the lungs with a small, thin and flexible camera called a bronchoscope. You will also have nasal and blood samples taken.