MRCE for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases

描述（由申请人提供）：中西部地区生物防御和新发传染病研究卓越中心（MRCE）是一个领先的中西部机构的联盟，将服务于第七区以及俄亥俄州部分地区的生物防御研究和培训需求。 MRCE的创始成员是圣路易斯的华盛顿大学（行政核心所在地）、凯斯西储大学、圣路易斯大学、中西部研究所和密苏里州大学。 MRCE的主要目标是利用来自最好机构的杰出科学家专注于生物防御和新兴传染病的关键临床问题。 我们的目标是研究将对国家的公共卫生产生直接影响，并将为强大的生物防御努力提供科学基础。 MRCE的战略计划集中在痘病毒生物学的综合性多机构努力上。 将天花疫苗临床研究和痘病毒及病毒感染的先天免疫基础研究中非常强大的现有项目结合起来，将使我们能够回答有关牛痘感染生物学和天花疫苗接种风险的关键问题。 我们的第二个项目（发展项目）侧重于鼠疫，并将使用遗传学和结构生物学的最先进平台来研究鼠疫耶尔森氏菌的发病机制，并设计一类新的抗菌剂，用于治疗鼠疫。 MRCE工作的支柱是核心设施，旨在满足第七区和国家的生物防御需求。核心中最重要的是华盛顿大学基因组测序中心，美国最大的测序中心。 MRCE战略计划将整合MRCE所有区域卓越中心的高通量测序和基因分型服务，从而显著节省成本。 最后，MRCE将努力招募新的研究人员进行生物防御的临床和基础研究，并通过三个不同的职业发展计划培训他们如何安全可靠地进行这项研究，其中包括一个独一无二的奖学金计划，该计划将培训生命科学博士后研究员成为生物安全官员。 MRCE具有独特的地位，通过一个特殊的计划为第七区和国家服务，该计划解决了最直接和最紧迫的国家生物防御需求。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Midwest Regional Center for Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (MRCE) is a consortium of leading Midwest institutions that will serve the biodefense research and training needs for Region VII as well as parts of Ohio. The founding members of the MRCE are Washington University in St. Louis (site of the Administrative Core), Case Western Reserve University, St. Louis University, the Midwest Research Institute, and the University of Missouri. The major objective of the MRCE is to harness outstanding scientists from the best institutions to focus on critical clinical issues in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. Our goal is research that will have an immediate impact on the nation's public health, and will provide the scientific base for a strong biodefense effort. The Strategic Plan for the MRCE centers on a comprehensive multi-institutional effort on the biology of poxviruses. The conjunction of extraordinarily strong existing programs in clinical research on smallpox vaccination and basic research on poxviruses and innate immunity to viral infections will allow us to answer the critical questions about the biology of vaccinia infection, and the risks of smallpox vaccination. Our second program (the developmental projects) focuses on plague, and will use state-of-the-art platforms in genetics and structural biology to study the pathogenesis of Yersinia pestis and design a new class of antibacterial agents, the pilicides, for the treatment of plague. The backbone of the MRCE effort is Core facilities designed to serve the biodefense needs of Region VII and the nation. Foremost among the Cores is the Washington University Genome Sequencing Center, the largest sequencing center in the United States. The MRCE Strategic Plan will consolidate the high throughput sequencing and genotyping services for all the Regional Centers for Excellence at the MRCE, resulting in significant cost savings. Finally, the MRCE will lead the effort to recruit new investigators to clinical and basic research in biodefense and train them in how to conduct this research safely and securely through three distinct Career Development Programs, including a one-of-a-kind fellowship program that will train postdoctoral fellows in the life sciences to become biosafety officers. The MRCE is uniquely positioned to serve Region VII and the nation through an exceptional program that addresses the most immediate and urgent national biodefense needs.