The ImmAGE study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    The Immune Ageing study

  • IRAS ID

    353711

  • Contact name

    Eoin McKinney

  • Contact email

    efm30@cam.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Cambridge

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 7 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    We have previously found that immune responses change as we get older and, more importantly, that this doesn't happen at a constant rate ('non-linear' ageing).
    By measuring aged immune responses in thousands of people we have worked out how to measure the difference between someone's chronological age and their immune age: in effect, how old their immune system is, rather than how old they are.
    To further understand the mechanisms driving immune ageing, we will select individuals on the basis of immune age and undertake genomic analysis of immune responses at single cell level before, during and after immune challenge in the form of vaccination against influenza and SARS-CoV-2. The studies described here are designed to understand better the mechanisms and pathways responsible for immune ageing as the basis to ultimately prevent or improve the resulting pathological effects it brings.

  • REC name

    HSC REC A

  • REC reference

    25/NI/0043

  • Date of REC Opinion

    8 Apr 2025

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion