NIAID
NIH's infectious disease institute; published the May 2026 EID paper showing B3.13 H5N1 replicates in human nasal tissue.
Last refreshed: 12 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
NIAID's B3.13 paper shifts pandemic risk assessments — how much of US H5N1 research depends on one federal agency?
Timeline for NIAID
Published peer-reviewed study finding B3.13 replicates more efficiently in human nasal tissue and suppresses ISG response
Pandemics and Biosecurity: B3.13 replicates better in human nasal tissueIdaho dairy H5N1: 1 to 59 herds in twelve days
Pandemics and BiosecurityEmory aerosol study reframes dairy PPE
Pandemics and Biosecurity- What is NIAID and what research does it do on H5N1?
- NIAID is the NIH institute for infectious disease research, with a $6.3 billion annual budget. Its researchers published the May 2026 study showing B3.13 H5N1 replicates more efficiently in human nasal tissue and suppresses innate immune responses.Source: CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Who runs NIAID since Anthony Fauci retired?
- Jeanne Marrazzo has served as NIAID director since 2023. Anthony Fauci held the role from 1984 to 2022, making it one of the longest tenures at a major US federal research agency.Source: NIH
- What did NIAID find about H5N1 and human immunity in May 2026?
- NIAID researchers Flagg and Winski published a CDC EID study showing B3.13 replicates better in human nasal epithelium than earlier H5N1 strains, suppresses ISG responses, and that 66% of US dairy workers carry cross-reactive pdm09 H1N1 antibodies.Source: CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases
Background
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is one of the 27 institutes and centres within the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world's largest funder of biomedical research. NIAID is the principal US federal agency for research on infectious and immune-mediated diseases, with a budget of approximately $6.3 billion annually (FY2025). Its mandate covers basic and clinical research on bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi with public health or pandemic relevance, as well as immune dysfunction conditions including HIV/AIDS, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. NIAID operates its own intramural laboratories and funds extramural research at universities and hospitals globally.
NIAID researchers Flagg and Winski authored the May 2026 CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases study (DOI: 10.3201/eid3205.260053) demonstrating that the B3.13 H5N1 genotype replicates more efficiently in human nasal epithelium cultures than historical H5N1 strains and suppresses ISG responses. This study is the most significant pandemic risk-posture shift for H5N1 published since the US dairy cattle outbreak began in 2024, and represents NIAID's continuing intramural research into HPAI H5N1 pathogenesis.
NIAID funds or co-funds the major US H5N1 response programmes, including the CEPI/Moderna Phase 3 mRNA H5N1 vaccine trial begun in April 2026, and operates the Rocky Mountain Laboratories BSL-4 facility in Hamilton, Montana, where high-containment influenza research is conducted. Anthony Fauci served as NIAID director from 1984 to 2022; the current director is Jeanne Marrazzo, appointed in 2023.
