Boston University Researchers Receive CDC Grant for Epidemic Analytics & Predictive Modeling Project
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Contact:
Cassandra Kocek (BU CEID), ckocek@bu.edu
Jillian McKoy (BU SPH), jpmckoy@bu.edu
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Boston University Researchers Receive CDC Grant for Epidemic Analytics & Predictive Modeling Project
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical need for enhanced epidemic modeling and analytic tools. Despite advances in epidemic modeling and analytics, issues persist around data and model quality, accessibility, and accurate representation of diverse population groups, potentially exacerbating health inequities. Addressing these challenges necessitates the transformation of high-quality data into meaningful insights for equitable decision-making and policy formulation.
The “Epistorm: Center for Advanced Epidemic Analytics and Predictive Modeling Technology” project emerged in response to these needs. Led by PI Alessandro Vespignani, Ph.D. of Northeastern University, Epistorm is a multi-organization, collaborative project bringing together researchers from Northeastern University, Boston University, the University of California San Diego, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Indiana University, the University of Florida, and Ginkgo Bioworks, as well as several hospital networks. Among this group include Boston University faculty members Laura White, Ph.D., and Kayoko Shioda PhD, DVM, MPH. Both are faculty at the university’s School of Public Health (SPH) and Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research (CEID). Together, Drs. White & Shioda lead CEID’s research core on Data Science & Surveillance.
Dr. Shioda expressed her enthusiasm for this project’s impact. “I am beyond excited and honored to contribute to this vital initiative led by CDC CFA, dedicated to enhancing outbreak response capabilities in the US. I am particularly thrilled to lead a project that aims to build a solid infrastructure and analytic framework for the real-time assessment of vaccine effectiveness and safety, using causal inference methodologies.”
Proposed in response to a May 2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), the Epistorm project has received $17.5 million in funding across five years beginning September 30, 2023. Addressing the above challenges necessitates the transformation of high-quality data into meaningful insights for equitable decision-making and policy formulation. The Epistorm center aims to address these challenges by capitalizing and innovating on breakthroughs in machine learning, data access, and computational capacity. Epistorm places a strong emphasis on educational strategies, providing trainees with hands-on experiences in public health responses and analytics projects, thereby fostering career pathways within public health systems. “Each of the grantees will help us move the nation forward in our efforts to better prepare and respond to infectious disease outbreaks that threaten our families and our communities,” says Dylan George, director of the CDC Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.
Speaking to the importance of proactive pandemic preparedness, Dr. White said, “This CDC initiative is an exciting and important step in preparing for future pandemic threats. I am pleased to be a part of such an innovative and diverse team of scientists from across the country and look forward to working together to developing better tools and methods for detecting and responding to future pandemics.”
CEID director, Nahid Bhadelia, MD, MALD, says of the project, “The goals of CEID Data Science and Surveillance Core are to develop new methodologies and networks to provide critical analysis for outbreak response. This CDC grant will allow Dr. White and Dr. Shioda to accomplish those goals in partnership with collaborators and stakeholders nationally.”
In sum, the Epistorm project ambitiously tackles existing challenges in epidemic modeling and analytics, offering innovative, practical, and equitable solutions to enhance decision-making and policy formation during health emergencies.
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About Boston University Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research (CEID)
Boston University’s Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy and Research (CEID) is a university wide center focused on global health security and linking technical knowledge to policy issues related to emerging pathogens and epidemic threats. CEID’s core mission is to improve resilience against threat of emerging & epidemic infectious diseases worldwide through transdisciplinary research, global and local capacity strengthening, training, evidence generation for policy support, and community engagement. The center’s faculty represent 9 BU Schools and Colleges as well as external and international affiliates, bringing expertise from virology, clinical infectious diseases and infection control, to epidemiology, data sciences, communications and global health policy.
About Boston University School of Public Health
Founded in 1976, Boston University School of Public Health is one of the top ten ranked schools of public health in the world. It offers master’s- and doctoral-level education in public health. The faculty in six departments conduct policy-changing public health research around the world, with the mission of improving the health of populations—especially the disadvantaged, underserved, and vulnerable—locally and globally.
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