The Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases

Established in May 2003, the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases is a newly organized center for research and learning in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.  This Center is comprised of epidemiologists, clinicians, veterinarians, microbiologists, virologists, statisticians, laboratory technologists, laboratory technicians, undergraduate students, and graduate students from the University of Iowa, as well as their collaborators from other organizations.

The Center is conducting a wide array of research projects in studying emerging pathogens. These studies include international, national, state and local surveillance for emerging pathogens, risk factor analyses for pathogen infections, vaccine trials, evaluations of rapid diagnostic tests, and outbreak investigations. Center staff are collaborating with national and international experts in studying these emerging pathogens.

Center for Emerging Infections Diseases' laboratory team (July 2006)

The Center has adapting and developing laboratory capabilities to detect and study emerging pathogens. Initial efforts have been focused upon emerging respiratory viruses, specifically adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, and influenza. The Center's Emerging Pathogens Laboratory performs numerous serological and molecular studies to distinguish various strains of pathogens.

Center efforts are augmented by the College of Public Health's Preventive Intervention Center (PIC). The PIC was established in 1992 to conduct large, complex population-based research studies. With its large staff of professionals and enrollment clinics in Iowa City, Des Moines, and Davenport, Iowa it is ideally suited for large Phase II-IV vaccine trials. The Center has participated in NIH sponsored and pharmaceutical company sponsored research studies for more than 10 years and has often excelled as a leading enrollment site. Headquartered in a large complex of clinical rooms on the 2nd floor of the University of Iowa General Hospital, the PIC currently manages more than 30 studies. The PIC team of professionals include experts in study administration, epidemiology, biostatistics, behavioral medicine, nutrition, data management, recruiting, telephone screening and evaluation, research mailings, follow-up evaluation, compliance and protocol adherence, quality control and regulatory adherence.

Center investigators and staff are leveraging the talent that presently exists in numerous professional disciplines at the University of Iowa, as well as recruiting and training new cadre of students with the career focus of infectious disease epidemiology and microbiology.