Center for Experimental Infectious Disease Research

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The LSU -Tulane Center for Experimental Infectious Diseases Research (CEIDR) was established as a NIH-NCRR-supported Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) 1P20RR020159-01 in 2004, as a strategic alliance between LSU Baton Rouge (flagship campus of the LSU System) and the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC). The overall vision of the Center has been to establish a regional center in infectious disease research led by the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) collaborating and influenced by the substantial NIH investment in infectious disease research carried out at TNPRC. Recently, LSU-SVM and TNPRC signed a memorandum of understanding for hiring a joint faculty member and negotiations are under way to appoint a TNPRC junior faculty member in this position. After nine years of COBRE support, we are now within reach to realize our goal to develop an interdisciplinary and collaborative program in infectious diseases that addresses fundamental questions about infectious disease agents and their host interactions. CEIDR's strong mentoring has enabled 12 junior faculty during the last nine years to obtain independent NIH funding (Apetrei, Cormier, Batra, Jeyaseelan, Maclean, Kaushal, Macaluso, Liang, Mores, Pahar, Sugimoto, Embers). Additionally CEIDR has recently recruited two senior NIH-funded faculty (Martinez-LSU and Panganiban (TNPRC), while one junior faculty was recruited by NIH for a permanent staff scientist position (Peterson). Inspite of significant progress, CEIDR has not yet become a fully independent center envisioned. Our vision will be realized by completing three specific aims:1)To provide administrative and scientific infrastructure and resources to CEIDR - affiliated investigators through continued support of four essential Cores: Administrative Core (AC), GeneLab Core (GeneLab), Protein Core Laboratory(PCL), Molecular Immunopathology and Microscopy Core (MIPC); 2) promote and evaluate career development and enhance research potential of CEIDR - affiliated investigators; 3)transition CEIDR to a nationally recognized, interdisciplinary Infectious Disease Center of Excellence by strengthening collaborative research and academic relationships between LSU and TNPRC.