The Hensley laboratory has 3 major scientific focuses related to influenza viruses: 1) elucidating mechanisms that promote antigenic drift of influenza viruses, 2) identifying factors that influence influenza vaccine responsiveness, 3) developing new influenza vaccine platforms. Our overarching goals are to use basic immunological and virological approaches to improve the process by which influenza vaccine strains are chosen, and to develop new influenza vaccines that are protective against antigenically diverse influenza strains.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hensley laboratory has completed serological assays to characterize antibody responses elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. Ongoing experiments are measuring the durability, specificity, and functionality of antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in different individuals.