$10 million CDC grant supports center investigating vector-borne diseases

A $10 million grant from the CDC will support a new center managed by researchers at Cornell University who aim to better understand, prevent and treat vector-borne diseases such as West Nile, Zika and Lyme disease, according to a press release.

The Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases will offer a new master’s program and develop courses for Cornell’s Master of Public Health degree to educate a team of vector biologists and public health practitioners.

The center, launching later this month, will also serve as a hub for partnerships between academic institutions and public health organizations, such as Columbia University, Fordham University, the Connecticut Department of Health and the New York State Department of Health. Under the direction of Laura C. Harrington, PhD, professor of the department of entomology at Cornell University, researchers affiliated with the center will investigate six areas of applied research that focus on infection risks in the region, vector control, vector-pathogen interactions, the biology of vector hibernation, including effects of climate change, and basic field biology of mosquitoes, according to the release.

“There is little funding that is allocated for very practical vector biology and vector borne diseases research,” Harrington said in the release. “Our goal is to train the next generation to have the best possible knowledge and skills that they can apply to introduced threats or existing vector-borne disease threats.”

Disclosure: Infectious Disease News was unable to confirm Harrington’s relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.