This study is currently paused and we are not accepting new participants at this time. Please contact Jennifer Huddleston at jennifer.huddleston@acu.edu with any questions.

Are you planning to receive the COVID-19 vaccine soon? Are you 12 years old or older? Have you already been vaccinated? Are you interested in helping scientists better understand the strength and longevity of the COVID-19 vaccine? If so, volunteer for our research project. Volunteers will simply donate a small sample of blood up to six times. Each donation should take about 5 minutes and no more than 15 minutes.

Here at the Department of Biology of Abilene Christian University, we are trying to measure people’s COVID antibody concentration in their blood. A high-enough titer of the antibody provides immunity to COVID-19. Getting vaccinated is one way to build up a protective titer, and recovering from COVID-19 is another. Some patients are getting infusions of lab-grown or donated antibodies to increase their titers.

It is beneficial to our Abilene/Taylor county community if we can measure peoples’ COVID antibody titers. We will have tools to monitor our herd immunity to COVID-19 after vaccinations. We plan to test participants’ serum samples to see if they can fight different variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Participants who are at least 12 years are welcome to join our research. You will receive multiple antibody tests during the whole process. You are asked to complete the 1st draw within two weeks before you receive 1st shot of the COVID vaccine. Participants are asked to complete following blood draws two weeks and up to six weeks after a major event (such as vaccine shot, natural infection, anti-viral therapy, and antibody infusion).  After major events, you may come in for blood draws every three months for up to two years.

Participants are allowed to join in the middle of this time frame. Our goal is to monitor our immunity to COVID after vaccinations and natural infections.