The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, said it awarded approximately US$208 million to two programs that support research “to better understand the human immune response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including those that may be introduced into a community through acts of bioterrorism.” The grants were awarded to the Cooperative Centers for Translational Research on Human Immunology and Biodefense (CCHI) and the Immune Mechanisms of Virus Control (IMVC). NIAID said it also received approximately US$21 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to supplement these two programs and fund some additional researchers. This funding is part of the US$5 billion awarded by NIH in FY 2009 for research projects under the Recovery Act. The long-term goal of the CCHI and IMVC programs is to identify new vaccines and drug targets.
Daniel Rotrosen, M.D., director of the NIAID Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation, said, “Developing vaccines and treatments for emerging pathogens continues to be a priority for NIAID. The CCHI and IMVC programs will foster collaboration among many talented investigators working toward the common goal of understanding the human immune response to infectious diseases and developing more effective measures to prevent and treat infection.”
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 