CDC Funds $262.5 Million National Network for Infectious Disease Predictions

The CDC has allocated $262.5 million over five years to establish a National Infectious Disease Forecasting Network, comprising 13 research centers across the U.S. This initiative, led by the CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics, aims to predict infectious disease outbreaks, similar to weather forecasting. The project will strengthen collaboration between public health authorities and academia. Northeastern University, receiving $17.4 million, will lead a consortium using innovative tools like wastewater surveillance and AI to detect and prepare for future disease threats.

The CDC has granted over $260 million to establish a National Infectious Disease Forecasting Network, comprising 13 infectious disease forecasting and analytics centers.

The CDC is distributing $262.5 million across the United States over five years with the aim of creating a national network capable of predicting infectious disease outbreaks, similar to the National Weather Service, as reported by the Boston Globe on September 20th.

Dr. Megan Ranney, Dean of the Yale School of Public Health, who is not part of the project, emphasized its critical importance, saying, “In public health, we currently lack systems comparable to satellites and radar. I hope this initiative will provide the equivalent capacity for forecasting infectious disease outbreaks.”

The CDC’s newly established Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics is spearheading this initiative. Thirteen research centers throughout the country will receive funding to develop and test algorithms and methods for predicting the activity of pathogens. Additionally, some of the funding will be directed towards enhancing collaboration between state and local public health authorities and academia to facilitate smoother information exchange during infectious disease outbreaks.

Northeastern University, based in Boston, is one of the project’s participants. They will receive $17.4 million over the next five years to establish an innovation center dedicated to helping communities identify and prepare for future disease threats. This center will lead a consortium of ten research institutions, health systems, and private companies, leveraging tools such as wastewater surveillance, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to support their efforts.