UCI Infectious Disease Science Initiative Newsletter

Dear colleagues,

The goal of the Infectious Disease Initiative (IDSI) is to place UCI at the forefront of infectious disease dynamics research by promoting multi-disciplinary research and education. Since launching in July 2019, IDSI organized community outreach events, facilitated new collaborative research projects, and supported the submission of an NSF training grant. In March, IDSI shifted from in-person events and activities to mobilizing response to the coronavirus pandemic. We have actively worked with various faculty to stimulate and support new studies of COVID-19 dynamics.

Thank you for your support of IDSI. We are pleased to highlight some of our achievements during our first year.

Sanghyuk Shin
Director, Infectious Disease Science Initiative

Events

IDSI organized the first public seminar at UCI on COVID-19
On February 10, the UCI Infectious Disease Science Initiative welcomed more than 120 attendees and 230 viewers on livestream at the “2019 Novel Coronavirus: Current State of Knowledge and Public Health Response” public seminar at the UCI Student Center.

IDSI Hosted Several Successful Events

• Inaugural seminar featuring Dr. Jennifer Gardy and Dr. Susan Huang a success
• Exploring Climate Change as a Social Issue with Dr. Sanghyuk Shin
• An Inspirational Seminar on Vaccine Advocacy with Dr. Peter Hotez

Research

Co-Directors Receive R01 Award on TB transmission dynamics in Botswana
IDSI Director Sanghyuk Shin and Co-Director Vladimir Minin are leading a five-year NIH R01-funded study to understand how TB spreads in populations affected by HIV.

Seed Grants Awarded
Grants have been awarded to Solomon Kibret Birhanie of Public Health (Spatio-temporal analysis of malaria risk related to water resources development – linking field and remote sensed data) and Nicholas Rhoades of Molecular Biology (Role of the microbiome and lung immunity in non-tuberculosis mycobacterium infection).