A major new federal grant is set to advance research into respiratory immunity at the University of Virginia, where Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor Jie Sun, PhD, has been awarded a $3.8 million from the National Institutes of Health.

The funding supports a five-year project titled “Decoding Cellular Networks Governing Respiratory Mucosal IgA Immunity,” aimed at uncovering how the body builds immune defenses in the respiratory tract following infection or vaccination.

Sun, who serves in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health and Co-Directs the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, said the work targets a critical gap in current immunology.

“Despite advances in vaccines and therapeutics, we still lack a clear understanding of how strong mucosal immunity—especially IgA responses—is generated in the respiratory system,” Sun said. “That knowledge is essential for designing the next generation of vaccines.”

Addressing a Key Immunity Gap
Respiratory mucosal immunity, particularly involving immunoglobulin A (IgA), plays a frontline role in defending against airborne pathogens. However, the biological mechanisms that drive robust IgA responses after infection or vaccination remain poorly understood.

This gap has become increasingly important in the wake of evolving respiratory viruses such as COVID-19 and its variants, where improved mucosal protection could significantly reduce transmission and severity.

The NIH-funded R01 project is built around the central hypothesis that effective respiratory immunity depends on localized interactions among pulmonary macrophages, CD4 T cells, and B cells within the lungs and airways.

Three Research Aims
The study will pursue three major objectives:

• Identify how respiratory CD4+ T cells promote IgA production directly within lung tissues.
• Examine how TGFβ-dependent interactions between macrophages and B cells regulate mucosal IgA responses.
• Define the molecular and functional characteristics of cross-reactive IgA-producing B cells that can respond to multiple respiratory pathogens.

Researchers believe these insights could pave the way for vaccines that provide stronger, longer-lasting protection at the site where infections begin.

Collaborative Effort
The project brings together a multidisciplinary team across UVA. Collaborators include:

• In Su Cheon, PhD, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health
• Chongzhi Zang, PhD, Department of Genome Sciences
• Justin Taylor, PhD, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health

Implications for Future Vaccines
By decoding the cellular networks that drive mucosal immunity, the research could inform the development of next-generation vaccines designed not only to prevent severe illness but also to block infection at the point of entry.

Such advances may prove critical in combating emerging respiratory threats, including new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and other airborne pathogens.

“This work has the potential to reshape how we approach vaccine design,” Sun said. “Ultimately, our goal is to enhance protection at the mucosal level and strengthen public health defenses against respiratory diseases.”

See link for full details: https://www.immunology.virginia.edu/event/the-annual-meeting-of-the-aai-located-in-boston-ma/

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A vibrant exchange of scientific discovery and potential strategic collaboration took place February 23–24, 2026 at the University of Virginia, as researchers from AstraZeneca met with faculty from across the School of Medicine. 

The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center and the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research hosted the two-day event, that brought together members of AstraZeneca’s Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM) team, alongside its Respiratory & Immunology (R&I) team — including representatives from the company’s Open Innovation and Corporate Affairs teams— with UVA investigators and leadership from the School of Medicine (SOM) and the Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR). 

Strong Institutional Engagement 

The meetings reflected deep engagement on both sides. More than 60 UVA faculty laboratories submitted one-page proposals outlining innovative research programs and potential areas for collaboration with AstraZeneca. Following review, 33 labs were selected to present their science and participate in focused discussions about how future collaborations could be structured to accelerate discovery and therapeutic development. 

The breadth of science represented underscored UVA’s strengths across cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, respiratory, and immunologic research. Topics ranged from inflammatory drivers of cardiometabolic disease and immune-mediated tissue injury to biomarker discovery, advanced human model systems, translational data science, and novel therapeutic targets. 

UVA School of Medicine and Office of Research leadership were in attendance throughout the program, signaling institutional commitment to fostering high-impact academic–industry partnerships and supporting pathways that move discovery from bench to bedside. 

Science at the Interface of Disciplines 

A recurring theme of the meetings was the growing intersection between immune biology and cardiometabolic disease. Investigators from across the school of medicine highlighted advances in heart failure, vascular biology, thrombosis, and metabolic regulation. Other colleagues presented cutting-edge work in immune signaling, inflammation, host defense, and tissue homeostasis. 

AstraZeneca scientists engaged deeply with presenters, exploring how UVA’s mechanistic discoveries could align with the company’s global capabilities in drug development, translational medicine, and clinical trials. The presence of AstraZeneca’s Open Innovation Team created opportunities to discuss flexible partnership models, while Corporate Strategy leaders examined long-term alignment and portfolio integration. 

From Dialogue to Discovery 

The format emphasized interaction. Following each presentation, robust scientific discussion focused not only on experimental findings but also on practical next steps — from target validation and preclinical modeling to biomarker strategy and patient stratification. 

Networking sessions and smaller breakout meetings allowed faculty and AstraZeneca representatives to explore specific collaboration concepts in greater depth. Conversations centered on building sustainable connections designed to generate new discoveries and ultimately improve outcomes for patients worldwide. 

With strong participation, engaged institutional leadership, and cross-disciplinary scientific exchange, the February gathering marked an important milestone in strengthening ties between UVA and AstraZeneca. Participants left with a shared sense of momentum — and a commitment to advancing innovative science through collaboration in service of global patient care.

Link to Article on the UVA Research Website

Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor of Medicine Jie Sun, PhD, in the UVA Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research and the Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, has secured two new five-year NIH R01 awards totaling $6.2 million. Dr. Sun’s projects aim to unravel why some people, especially older adults, never fully bounce back after severe respiratory infections such as COVID-19 or influenza and to develop strategies that restore healthy lung function.

The first grant, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, focuses on the lingering lung problems that plague many “long-COVID” patients. Dr. Sun’s team has discovered that an immune alarm signal called interferon-gamma can remain switched on after the virus is gone, prompting a prolonged conversation between lung-resident T cells and macrophages that fuels scarring. Over the next five years, the researchers will pinpoint exactly how interferon-gamma from T cells sparks this chronic inflammation, test whether blocking its partner pathway (STAT1) in macrophages prevents long-term damage, and chart the entire molecular chain in search of drug targets.

The ultimate goal is to lay the groundwork for therapies that can stop, or even reverse, persistent lung injury after COVID-19 or other severe respiratory viral infections, common in the elderly.  -Jie Sun

The second award, from the National Institute on Aging, tackles a different piece of the puzzle: why older lungs heal more slowly after infections. Alveolar macrophages, the lungs’ resident cleanup crew, normally self-renew and calm inflammation, but with age they lose this “stem-like” vitality and adopt a senescent, inflammatory profile. Dr. Sun’s lab has shown that two key proteins act like a molecular seesaw that determines whether these cells repair tissue or exacerbate damage. The new study will decode how that balance is lost during aging, explore the consequences for influenza and COVID-19 recovery, and test an inhaled RNA therapy approach that delivers key proteins to rejuvenate macrophages and speed healing in older adults.

“Together, these complementary projects approach the same public health challenge from different angles to help ensure full recovery after infections,” said Dr. Sun.

By clarifying the immune circuits that derail healing and piloting targeted interventions, Dr. Sun and his collaborators at UVA and the Mayo Clinic aim to pave the way for precision therapies that let patients breathe easier long after the virus has cleared, while training the next generation of scientists in cutting-edge immunology and aging research.

View the article at the SOM website

The Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments recognizes outstanding scientific research contributions in basic or clinical arenas to enhance the understanding, prevention and treatment of respiratory disease, critical illness, or sleep disorders and recognizes exemplary professionalism, collegiality and citizenship through mentorship and scientific involvement in the ATS community. Awardees are selected based on contributions made throughout their careers or for major contributions made at a particular point in their careers.

The American Thoracic Society improves global health by advancing research, patient care, and public health in pulmonary disease, critical illness, and sleep disorders. Founded in 1905 to combat TB, the ATS has grown to tackle asthma, COPD, lung cancer, sepsis, acute respiratory distress, and sleep apnea, among other diseases.

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I study B cells, which are part of the immune system, which make antibodies that recognize pathogens and protect us against infections. —Loren Erickson, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology

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Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor Jie Sun, PhD, in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health and the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, earns a $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for a project titled “CD38, T cells and post viral lung sequelae during aging.”

Respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) are great public health challenges and can lead to severe host diseases, particularly in older adults. In some cases, these infections cause long-term damage that persists well after the initial illness, including persistent lung fibrosis and other chronic respiratory conditions. Unfortunately, there are currently no treatments to prevent or reverse these lasting effects following an acute viral infection.

Dr. Sun’s new research aims to uncover how a specialized type of immune cells, known as tissue-resident memory T cells, contribute to this ongoing damage in the lungs. While these cells normally help protect against infections, they may become overly active in older individuals, driving chronic inflammation and scarring.

The Sun Lab has identified the molecule CD38 as a key factor that supports the function and survival of these T cells. By understanding how CD38 fuels these cells and by testing interventions that block CD38 activity, the team hopes to find innovative ways to minimize or even prevent chronic lung damage following severe influenza or COVID-19. Ultimately, their work could lead to therapies that support full recovery and prevent long-term health problems after such infections, particularly in the elderly.

Collaborators on the project include Chongzhi Zang, PhD, in the Department of Genome Sciences at UVA School of Medicine and Eduardo Chini, MD, PhD, at the Mayo Clinic.

Learn more about the Sun Lab, which focuses on immune mechanisms during infection, cancer, and aging.

View the article at the SOM website

We study the biology and the diseases of red blood cells, which are the most abundant cell in the human body. And not only are they a source of disease during infections like malaria, but also they are themselves a treatment, because we transfuse five million Americans a year who need those transfusions to survive —James Zimring, MD, PhD, Thomas W. Tillack Professor of Experimental Pathology

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