Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
05:31
Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
Published on: August 7, 2017
Conference report: airway mucosal sampling and immune analysis
Joshua Rosenheim1, Bonnie Bender2, Jill Gilmour2
1Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity, NIVI Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Vaccine
|July 17, 2026
Summary
Developing airway vaccines requires better understanding of respiratory mucosal immunity. A workshop recommended improved sampling and standardized assays to advance vaccine development against respiratory pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Vaccinology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Parenteral vaccines are limited in preventing respiratory infection and transmission.
- Airway vaccines offer potential for mucosal immunity at the site of pathogen entry.
- Progress is hindered by challenges in airway immune understanding, sampling, and assay standardization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address challenges in airway mucosal sampling and immunological assays for vaccine development.
- To bring together experts to review current approaches and identify barriers.
- To generate recommendations for advancing mucosal vaccine research.
Main Methods:
- Convened a workshop with researchers, clinicians, funders, and consortia representatives.
- Reviewed methods for upper and lower respiratory tract sampling and assay technologies.
- Discussed regulatory considerations for mucosal endpoints in vaccine development.
Main Results:
- Identified major barriers: variable sampling, low/inconsistent cell yields, limited assay standardization, and poor cross-study comparability.
- Produced recommendations in four priority areas: Collaboration, Communication, Consistency, and Conduct of research.
- Aimed to accelerate standardization, validation, and knowledge sharing.
Conclusions:
- Standardized airway sampling and validated immunological assays are crucial for mucosal vaccine development.
- Collaborative efforts and improved research conduct are needed to overcome existing barriers.
- These advances will strengthen the foundation for effective airway-delivered vaccines against respiratory diseases.
