Center News
PRESS RELEASE – Infectious disease surveillance platform BEACON launches beta version as a new open-source global resource
APRIL 23, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
CASSANDRA KENNEDY
MEDIA@BEACONBIO.ORG
Infectious disease surveillance platform BEACON launches beta version as a new open-source global resource
BOSTON, MA – The Biothreats Emergence, Analysis and Communications Network (BEACON) leverages advanced artificial intelligence (AI), large language models (LLMs) and a network of globally based experts to rapidly collect, analyze, and disseminate information on emerging infectious diseases affecting humans, animals, and the environment. BEACON Director, Dr. Nahid Bhadelia remarks, “BEACON comes at a time when we need more global collaboration and coordination when new biological threats appear. The platform not only reports new threats but also provides background and reasons for why a threat matters and where it should fall on our ranking of concern.”
BEACON is housed at Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases and operated in partnership with the Hariri Institute for Computing and Data Sciences at Boston University and HealthMap at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“The launch of BEACON represents an exciting evolution in the field of infectious disease surveillance,” says Dr. John Brownstein, Chief Innovation Officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and a BEACON Co-Director. “By integrating HealthMap’s decades-long experience in real-time epidemic monitoring with BEACON’s novel AI-driven architecture, we’re creating a uniquely powerful, open-source tool for rapid detection and contextualization of emerging threats.”
At its launch, BEACON will be the only open-source global surveillance platform of its kind, linking public health authorities, practitioners, researchers, and the general public, rapidly and transparently sharing data and context about new threats. Like early warning systems for fires and hurricanes, BEACON’s job is to analyze and broadcast the rise of new threats. By providing near real time reports of sentinel cases, clusters and outbreaks, BEACON will enable early public health response, empower clinicians tracking recent travel and illnesses in their patients and inform communities of potential new threats.
“BEACON is the first biothreats reporting system to leverage the power of generative AI to process and analyze outbreak reports,” says Hariri Institute Director and a BEACON Co-Director Dr. Yannis Paschalidis. He adds, “BEACON employs our own PandemIQ Llama LLM, specifically adapted and trained to optimize performance for outbreak analysis and report generation.”
BEACON has already received a total of $6 million in funding support, including contributions from the National Science Foundation, the Gates Foundation, additional private donors, and Boston University.
Beyond financial support, BEACON has also established partnerships with high level stakeholders in the public health space including the World Health Organization’s Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources initiative, the World Organisation for Animal Health, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, state public health departments, and the CDC Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.
More information about BEACON can be found here in a recent article by BU's The Brink.
BEACON’s launch event is scheduled for April 24, 2025, 2:00 to 5:30pm, available in Boston and by Zoom, and is open to the public. The platform prototype itself will go live that day at beaconbio.org, allowing public health experts and the general public to experience the resource and share their feedback.
BEACON is poised to become a critical tool both globally and domestically in a time of shifting priorities in funding and resources. BEACON’s values include global accessibility which is why the platform is free and available to the public.
For more information, go to beaconbio.org.
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Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases (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 the threat of emerging & epidemic infectious diseases worldwide through public health and policy research, global and local capacity strengthening, training, evidence generation for policy support, and community engagement.
2025 Student/Trainee Summer Research Grant Opportunity
Boston University's Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEID) is pleased to announce the availability of two research grants (one for graduate students and one for doctoral and postdoctoral students) pursuing innovative research projects related to CEID’s mission. The project has to focus on public health, policy, clinical, social sciences, or data sciences research related to emerging infectious diseases, outbreaks, global health security, pandemic preparedness or the effects of any of the above. These grants aim to support students in their academic and professional development by providing financial assistance for their research endeavors. Each of the two awards are $5,000. Students should identify a faculty mentor who will oversee their research over the summer and can speak to their qualifications and experience.
Grant application information
Eligibility: We encourage graduate, doctoral and postdoctoral students (including medical students, residents, and fellows) from all disciplines to apply for this opportunity who are currently enrolled in a program at BU and will be in attendance in that program during Fall 2025 as well.
Application deadline for 2025 awards has been extended to April 18, 2025. Awardees will be announced by early May.
How to apply: Please email all application materials to ceid@bu.edu. The email should have the subject line “CEID Student Summer Research Grant Application.”
Application Requirements:
1. Curriculum Vitae (CV): Please provide a comprehensive CV detailing your academic background, research experience, publications (if any), and any relevant professional experience.
2. Budget: Submit a detailed budget outlining how the grant funds will be allocated for your research project. Be sure to include estimates for all anticipated expenses. The maximum award is $5,000.
a. Graduate student applications can use the funds for either their time over the summer or towards research expenses related to their proposed project
b. Doctoral and postdoctoral students (generally funded) should use the funds towards research expenses related to their proposed project.
Note: Any travel reimbursements will require additional approval by the Office of Research
3. Research Plan (two pages maximum): Prepare a concise research plan which includes:
a. short background on the issue you are doing research on
b. methodology and analysis plan (if you are conducting human subjects research, you must provide a plan for IRB submission or proof of IRB approval or exemption).
c. the significance of the project to CEID’s mission
d. proposed outcomes and products, and timeline (projects can be completed in 12 months but must be started in summer 2025)
4. Faculty Letter of Support: Include a letter of support from your faculty advisor or research mentor. (If you are conducting research with an external organization, the letter can be from the supervisor who will oversee the research). The letter should affirm the feasibility of your proposed research project and should also attest to your capabilities as a researcher and any relevant experience or background. Faculty and research supervisors should ensure responsible conduct of research during project implementation. (The letter should be emailed directly from the faculty member to ceid@bu.edu. The email should have the subject line “CEID Student Summer Research Grant Recommendation” and include in the body the name of the student the letter is supporting.)
Expectations for award:
1. Provide a written final report
2. Present research results at a CEID faculty meeting
3. Share project summary to be included in CEID website and center publications
4. Acknowledge CEID funding in publications, abstracts or conference talks related to funded research
Annual Report 2024
Read for an overview of the center's highlights from the 2023-2024 academic year.
How Can We Tackle AI-Fueled Misinformation and Disinformation in Public Health?
UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming Shares Strategies for Using Fact-based Science Communications to Build Trust
In the post-pandemic era, artificial intelligence (AI) has played a major role in the dissemination of information. AI has also facilitated the spread of misinformation and disinformation across social media platforms through algorithms that amplify posts designed to generate outrage and de-prioritize posts from institutions, like the United Nations, which works to dispel these false narratives. From hate speech to conspiracy theories, AI-fueled misinformation and disinformation serves to polarize society and create a harmful online environment. The World Economic Forum identified the threat from misinformation and disinformation as the most severe short-term threat facing the world today.
Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications and BU Alumna (COM ‘89), gave a talk at Boston University on April 4th where she shared insights into the United Nations’ perspective on harnessing AI to build resilience in global communication. Fleming’s lecture discussed the challenges and opportunities of AI in disseminating accurate global public health communication, particularly in the areas of vaccines, climate change, and well being of women and girls.
With the advent of AI, “those who might have been screaming in a park with an audience of three now have the ability to reach thousands, if not millions of people,” said Fleming. “One of our biggest worries is the ease with which new technologies can help spread misinformation easier and cheaper, and that this content can be produced at scale and far more easily personalized and targeted.”
Polarization and Mistrust about Vaccines
Fleming highlighted that one of the most pronounced areas where misinformation has taken root is in the realm of vaccines. Especially since the pandemic, misinformation about vaccines has skyrocketed, and the use of AI has only made this easier and cheaper. In fact, if someone searches for information about vaccines online, there is around a 78% chance of finding misinformation or disinformation. Fleming also shared that because information surrounding vaccines has become polarized, many celebrities and influencers are unwilling to promote the benefits of vaccination for fear of being attacked. As a result, outbreaks of fully controlled diseases have become more prevalent, including the measles outbreak in Florida in February 2024.
During the pandemic, the UN released media literacy campaigns such as the Verified and the #TakeCareBeforeYouShare campaigns. Both of these are designed to make users online stop and think before posting or re-sharing content that could be misinformation. These campaigns aim to create a more informed and engaged public online. Fleming also mentioned a UN volunteer program looking for “digital first responders,” essentially volunteers aiming to research information before posting and promoting the dissemination of accurate content.
Climate Deniers
Another area rampant with misinformation is climate change. Fleming described “merchants of outrage,” or people who understand how to work the algorithm – i.e., release content designed to outrage and polarize viewers – and then make money off the interactions with their posts. This means that there is a financial incentive for some to spread misinformation online.
“Since Elon Musk took over X (formerly known as Twitter), all of the climate deniers are back, and [the platform] has become a space for all kinds of climate disinformation,” said Fleming. “There is a connection that people in the anti-vaccine sphere are now shifting to the climate change denial sphere.”
After Musk fired his trust and safety team, the amount of misinformation on the X platform – especially pertaining to climate change – skyrocketed. A trending hashtag on the platform was #ClimateScam, a section rampant with disinformation and misinformation about the science behind climate change.
As is the case with the vaccine sphere, AI makes misinformation about climate change easier and cheaper to produce, which in turn reaches a wider audience and diminishes trust in public institutions.
Instead of trying to deny every false claim about climate change, Fleming and her team focus on promoting accurate and fact-based information in order to give institutions like the UN more agency. This approach also creates more positive interactions with communities on social media platforms.
Fleming illustrated the strategy using an example of a false claim like solar panels not working in the rain. “Instead of putting an X over the post, we are trying to find clever, positive, solutions-focused approaches to promote content on the benefits of renewable energy,” said Fleming. “This content subtly addresses the disinformation and injects climate solutions and fact-driven arguments into the posts. This approach gives people solutions for the future, and makes our future selves say thank you.”
Online Misogyny’s Impact on Women and Girls
Generative AI is also being used to silence, intimidate, and humiliate women and girls, said Fleming. Online misogyny, including death threats, rape threats, and humiliated doctored photos, is increasingly being used as a weapon to shut down critics, such as leaders, politicians, activists, journalists, and other women. Fleming cited a 2022 UNESCO survey of female journalists around the world shows that 73% experienced online violence and 20% were attacked offline but felt there was a link. AI generated images are easy to create and monetization of online misogyny an incentive.
“Generative AI tools have handed these bad actors a new arsenal of weapons with deepfake technology,” said Fleming. “Deepfakes are being used to generate non-consensual pornographic images to shame and humiliate women and girls in all walks of life. While some AI softwares have tried to build in safeguards to prevent images like this from being made, most AI built-in safeguards are currently either non-existent or very easily bypassed.”
Reclaiming the Conversation
Fleming acknowledged that AI certainly is not going away and that there are many ways in which AI can be deployed to be part of the solution. She and her team and working to build coalitions and initiatives that leverage AI to promote exciting, positive, fact-driven global public health communications.
The Humanly Possible campaign, launched April 24, is an example of this strategy. This campaign will release statistics on how many lives have been saved as a result of being vaccinated, and encourages people to share vaccine stories. It aims to “celebrate vaccines as one of humanity’s greatest achievements, up there with landing on the moon,” said Fleming.
Other initiatives include creating an official UN code of conduct on information integrity in the digital space, and meeting with UN member states at a general assembly to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy AI systems.
Fleming invited us to “reclaim the conversation… by joining forces to spread the word and becoming the masters of the algorithm.”
This guest lecture was cosponsored by the Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEID) and the Hariri Institute for Computing.
Watch the full lecture given by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, here.
Researchers Support Increased Genomic Sequencing of Dengue for More Effective Prevention
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Contact:
Cassandra Kocek (BU Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases), ckocek@bu.edu
Jillian McKoy (BU School of Public Health), jpmckoy@bu.edu
Gina DiGravio (BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine), ginad@bu.edu
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Researchers Support Increased Genomic Sequencing of Dengue for More Effective Prevention
Dengue is a disease characterized by fever, rash, headache, myalgia, and arthralgia with risk for complications due to endothelial dysfunction and hemorrhage. Most common in countries in Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa, travel-related cases of dengue are frequently spread to the United States and occasionally sparks local transmission. Caused by the mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV), complicated dengue and dengue-related deaths are fortunately relatively rare in travelers. However, it puts a large strain on healthcare systems in areas where it is endemic. In Brazil for example, several states have declared a public health emergency.
Increasing geographic distribution of dengue is largely attributed to the expanding range and increased vector efficiency of Aedes species mosquitoes due to urbanization, climate change, and changing rainfall patterns associated with El Niño and spread through increased international travel.
Researchers including David Hamer, MD, a Boston University faculty member with appointments in the Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEID), School of Public Health (SPH), and Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine co-authored an Ideas and Opinions article, “Resurgence of Dengue in the Era of Genomic Surveillance and Vaccines” published in Annals of Internal Medicine this month. Their article posits that “molecular epidemiologic data from whole-genome sequencing [of dengue serotypes] could enhance dengue outbreak preparedness.”
In our increasingly globalized world, disease strains spread more easily from continent to continent. Tracing the lineage of specific genotypes of dengue allows researchers to better understand how genetic diversity affects transmission dynamics, virulence, and immune protection by vaccination.
Administration of current vaccines protecting against dengue are dependent on serotype of a patient’s existing antibodies. By better understanding the variations in DENV genotypes, scientists hope to be able to develop vaccines that would not require patients to be pre-screened for serotypes. The goal of which is to allow for broader, more efficient vaccination campaigns against this global disease.
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About Boston University Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEID)
Established in June 2021, CEID’s core mission is to improve societal resilience against the threat of emerging & epidemic infectious diseases worldwide through transdisciplinary research, global and local capacity strengthening, training, evidence generation for policy support, and community engagement. CEID is carving out the scientific, educational, policy, and cultural space to investigate underlying challenges to pandemic preparedness and discover innovative solutions. Our work allows us to provide recommendations to communities, governments, and the academic groups aimed at preparing and responding to pandemics at the national and global level.
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.
About Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Originally established in 1848 as the New England Female Medical College, and incorporated into Boston University in 1873, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine today is a leading academic medical center with an enrollment of more than 700 medical students and 1,180 students pursuing degrees in graduate medical sciences. BUSM faculty contribute to more than 605 active grants and contracts, with total anticipated awards valued at more than $211 million in amyloidosis, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious diseases, pulmonary disease and dermatology, among other areas. The School’s teaching affiliates include Boston Medical Center, its primary teaching hospital, the Boston VA Healthcare System, Kaiser Permanente in northern California, as well as Boston HealthNet, a network of 15 community health centers. For more information, please visit http://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/
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Student/Trainee Summer Research Grant Opportunity
Boston University's Center on Emerging Infectious Disease (CEID) is pleased to announce the availability of two research grants (one for graduate students and one for doctoral and postdoctoral students) pursuing innovative research projects related to CEID’s mission. The project has to focus on public health, policy, clinical, social sciences, or data sciences research related to emerging infectious diseases, outbreaks, global health security, pandemic preparedness or the effects of any of the above. These grants aim to support students in their academic and professional development by providing financial assistance for their research endeavors. Each of the two awards are $5,000. Students should identify a faculty mentor who will oversee their research over the summer and can speak to their qualifications and experience.
Update: Recipients announced
We were excited to receive many strong applications. Based on our faculty members' review of the submissions, we are happy to announce we will be awarding grants of $5,000 each to Katherine Reifler, MD and Palak Shah.
CEID is proud to support these two important research projects. Katherine Reifler's research is entitled, "Prospective analysis of the burden of cardiac complications in patients with HIV and Chagas disease co-infection compared to Chagas disease alone" and Palak Shah's work will explore how climate change is leading to behavior changes for home ventilation and the impact the has on tuberculosis transmission in India.
Grant application information
Exciting update for CEID as we enter 2024!
We have exciting update to share as we start this new year! The Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research (CEID) is evolving with a bold new name: The Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
While our name is shorter, our commitment to generating game-changing research that fuels effective policies and pandemic preparedness remains as strong as ever. Think of it as a new chapter in our ongoing journey towards supporting greater global resilience against health threats!
This streamlined name reflects our agility and makes us even more recognizable as a leading force in the fight against emerging infectious diseases.
And with exciting projects like our research cores, pushing the boundaries of research, we're poised to make even greater strides in the year ahead. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking initiatives!
Join us on our mission to build a world where emerging diseases are swiftly identified, effectively contained, and ultimately prevented. Visit our updated website, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and be part of the conversation. Together, we can forge a healthier future, one discovery at a time.
Boston University Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases (CEID)
Research powering policy and action.
MassCPR Symposium: Pandemic Preparedness event recap
Politicians and leaders in healthcare, research, and policy gathered for Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness (MassCPR)’s Symposium on Pandemic Preparedness on November 14, 2023.
The event kicked off with a keynote discussion with former Prime Minister of New Zealand Dame Jacinda Ardern, Sir Ashley Bloomfield, and Dame Juliet Gerrard, moderated by Dr. Louise Ivers of Harvard Medical School. In their conversation, the panelists discussed how they were able to build trust with the pubic of their country by being transparent about the uncertainties of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, they compared how working within New Zealand, a much smaller country than the United States in both area and population, necessitated different approaches between the two countries’ pandemic responses.
The first panel, moderated by NEIDL Director Dr. Nancy Sullivan, was on developing capabilities for global pandemic preparedness. The speakers highlighted the need for maintaining vaccine production facilities in peacetimes between pandemics. Vaccine production cannot be started up at the drop of a hat when a new outbreak occurs, they function consistently to produce vaccines efficiently in times of crisis.
The final panel of the symposium, “Communicating in crisis: How to tell people what they need to know, reach a diverse public, and counter outright lies,” included CEID Director Dr. Nahid Bhadelia. A recurring theme in this conversation was building trust in healthcare officials among communities in the everyday so that foundation is there when a public health emergency arises. Additionally, speakers emphasized the need to be proactive in enacting public health regulations to prevent and quickly respond to outbreaks. Part of this effort, Massachusetts Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robert Goldstein explained, is the state’s vaccine equity initiative, which aims to provide resources to the most vulnerable communities. Dr. Bhadelia echoed the sentiment, saying that vaccines and therapeutics are not enough on their own, they must be used in conjunction with clear communication and proactive public health measures. She likened this combination of efforts to the building codes and manufacturing regulations that support fire departments’ work at fire safety and prevention.
Altogether the event provided an insightful look at pandemic preparedness and brought together though leaders and change makers to share ideas for more effectively responding to future pathogen outbreaks. We have all learned much over the past few years since the emergence of COVID-19, but it is clear there is still much work to be done for future preparedness.
Photo by Jackie Ricciardi for Boston University's The Brink.
CEID launches four Core Research Initiatives
This year, as Boston University’s Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy & Research (CEID) continues to pursue our mission to build resilience against new pandemic threats, we have focused our efforts on four Core Research Initiatives. These cores highlight high priority areas within emerging infectious that require closer linkage between research, operational response and policy: a) Data Science & Surveillance, b) EIDs, Climate Change, & One Health, c) Trust & Public Health Communications and d) Public Health, Medical Preparedness & Response. The cores will accelerate the scholarly activities, bring together researchers within and outside of Boston University, seed critical pilot research and create space to engage with trainees and communities on these important topics. In each case, the goal of our work is to help fill in the gaps in knowledge base to support decision making by public health officials, policy makers, clinicians, and community organizations. These new initiatives have been underway since July 2023 and are led by Core Directors who are recognized experts in their fields, who I am proud to call colleagues. Below outlines the cores and their leadership.
Data Science & Surveillance led by Dr. Laura White and Dr. Kayoko Shioda
The CEID Data Science and Surveillance core will focus on bringing together researchers working to develop new data sources, methods, and tools to identify, monitor, and characterize emerging infectious disease threats. The core will generate projects and activities examining for the role of data science in preparing for and combatting emerging infectious disease threats. The Data Science and Surveillance Core recently received funding as a collaborator in the Northeastern University based CDC Center for Forecasting and Analytics grant.
EIDs, Climate Change, & One Health led by Dr. David Hamer and Dr. Kayoko Shioda
The focus of the CEID One Health and Climate Change core is to bring together experts from ecology, climate change, One Health, planetary health, emerging infectious diseases, and systems science, along with practitioners and policy experts in public health surveillance and pandemic preparedness, to identify, review, and prioritize research gaps that must be addressed to prevent future global pandemics. The core aims to develop new data sources, methods, and tools to identify, monitor, and characterize emerging infectious disease threats in the era of climate change. The core has an upcoming event entitled, “Interactive effects of climate and land use change transform the landscape of vector-borne disease,” which may be of interest to many given the recent malaria cases in the US.
Trust & Public Health Communications During Emerging Infectious Disease Outbreaks led by Dr. Traci Hong and Dr. Veronika Wirtz
Trust in science and in public health institutions and organizations is essential to effectively mobilize citizens to respond to threats to public health and safety. However, over the last few decades, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, public opinion of science has gradually diminished the ability of organizations and institutions to translate science into practical guidance to promote public health.
The CEID Core on Trust and Public Health Communication, through transdisciplinary research, aims to identify the best policies and practices a) to share information with the general public as well as specific stakeholders before and during a fast-moving infectious diseases crisis, and b) to build trust in science and public health institutions and organizations, especially as they related to infectious diseases control.
Public Health, Medical Preparedness, & Response to EIDs led by myself
The focus of the CEID Public Health and Medical Response Core is to link researchers and practitioners from clinical fields, basic and translational sciences, public health and policy sectors to evaluate and understand how diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for priority pathogens can be developed and distributed faster and more equitably within the US and globally. This core studies the architecture and efficacy of the national and international public health responses against emerging infections between and during outbreaks. Additionally, it conducts healthcare and health services utilization research in the setting of emerging infectious diseases. Lastly, the core will examine how infection control and clinical standards of care, research capacity as well as medical practice can be improved in the setting of evolving data surrounding novel diseases.
I hope you will stay tuned for news and events, and follow some of the research coming out of these new critical cores. And please join me in welcoming these public health experts to the leadership of CEID.
Respectfully,
Nahid Bhadelia, MD, MALD
Annual Report 2023
Boston University's Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy and Research is proud to release our Annual Report reflecting on the 2022-2023 academic year.
Read The 2023 Annual Report