The influenza virus has enormous potential to vary its genome as it moves between its hosts. This variability is the major barrier to the development of a broadly effective influenza vaccine, and it is the reason why people must be reimmunized with modified vaccines on a seasonal basis. Improved protection against a broad spectrum of influenza variants is likely to rely on the development of new vaccines that cause people to make T cell responses against parts of the virus that are variant. The development of such vaccines hinges on an enhanced understanding of how T cells recognize this virus and, in particular, what cell types are crucial for inducing robust T cell immunity. Here we will focus on dendritic cells (Dcs) because there are known to be essential initiators of influenza immunity. We aim to determine how influenza immunity is determined by specific types of pulmonary DCs. We will also examine the importance of specialized DC-dependent lymphoid tissue in the lungs, and a DC-dependent network of immunoregulatory factors. Finally, we will develop improved methodology for monitoring infection in cells. Addressing these aims will provide essential insight into how T cell memory responses are induced by DCs relevant to the development of vaccines against influenza and other respiratory infections.