For more details about the research projects listed below, visit the MIDAS Portal Research Groups Web site 
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Centers of Excellence
Harvard School of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh
Research Groups
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Louisiana State University
University of California, San Francisco
University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
University of Florida and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Virginia Bioinformatics Institute
Yale University and University of Texas at Austin
Informatics Resource
Research Triangle Institute
Centers of Excellence
Harvard School of Public Health
Principal investigator: Marc Lipsitch, D.Phil.
This Center of Excellence focuses on modeling drug resistance, seasonal infectious diseases and the allocation of interventions. It’s also developing epidemic "dashboard" software to give policymakers visualization tools to help them interpret trends and analyze data in the midst of an emerging epidemic. The center will work closely with health officials around the world to integrate public health knowledge into the models and vice versa.
University of Pittsburgh
Principal investigator: Don Burke, M.D.
This Center of Excellence is studying fundamental questions about the behavioral, environmental and evolutionary factors underlying infectious disease epidemics and using this information to develop real-time models for particular localities, such as cities or states. A key component of the center’s effort is creating outreach and training programs aimed at educating a diverse group of scientists in modeling techniques.
Research Groups
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Principal investigator: Sara Del Valle, Ph.D.
This research group will study how to model changes in people’s behavior in response to an infectious disease outbreak. The team also will study the impact of uncertainty in the data, such as vaccination rates or number of infected people, on infectious disease models.
Louisiana State University
Principal investigator: Christopher Mores, Sc.D.
This research group will develop mathematical models of the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue fever. The work will help researchers better understand how to interrupt transmission, preventing or slowing outbreaks.
University of California, San Francisco
Principal investigator: Travis C. Porco, Ph.D.
This research group will use computational models to determine what kinds of information to collect from people exposed to an infectious disease and how to use the data to design effective intervention strategies.
University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory
Principal investigators: Diane Lauderdale, Ph.D.; Charles Macal, Ph.D., P.E.
With substantial expertise on the biology of MRSA, this research group is developing models to understand how patterns of contact and behavior among individuals affect MRSA spread. The researchers will also use the models to test the effectiveness of different interventions, such as public health informational campaigns or enhanced hygiene in institutional settings.
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Principal investigator: Gary Smith, Ph.D.
This research group will develop hierarchical models for the spatio-temporal dynamics of infectious disease.
University of Florida and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Principal investigators: Ira Longini, Ph.D.; Elizabeth Halloran, D.Sc.
Drawing on expertise in biostatistics and epidemiological field work, this research group is creating simulation models for the transmission of infectious diseases such as flu, cholera, dengue fever and tuberculosis. The models will help assess the effectiveness of different public health interventions and their distribution during an outbreak.
Virginia Bioinformatics Institute
Principal investigator: Stephen Eubank, Ph.D.
This research group designs, builds and validates models of disease spread and prediction systems based on individuals’ activities in a social network. Using mathematical and computational methods, the group is exploring the effects of human contact patterns in urban areas on disease transmission dynamics and the effectiveness of particular response strategies.
Yale University and University of Texas at Austin
Principal investigators: Alison Galvani, Ph.D.; Lauren Ancel Meyers, Ph.D.
The research group is developing new models of disease spread that integrate individuals’ perceptions and behaviors regarding flu. Using the models, the team will identify intervention strategies that are likely to achieve high levels of adherence and minimize influenza-related disease and mortality. The group also will use the models to optimize intervention strategies.
Informatics Resource
Research Triangle Institute
Principal investigators: Diane Wagener, Ph.D.; Phil Cooley
This informatics provides and develops a number of informatics, analytic and statistical tools in a high-performance computational environment. The group also provides programming expertise and data management resources.