MRCE for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Dieseases

描述（由申请人提供）：中西部生物防御和新发传染病研究卓越区域中心（MRCE）是中西部领先机构的联盟，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的成员包括圣路易斯华盛顿大学（行政核心所在地）、凯斯西储大学、克利夫兰诊所/勒纳研究所、爱荷华大学、圣路易斯大学、堪萨斯州立大学、爱荷华州立大学、中西部研究所和密苏里大学。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发传染病（EID）的关键问题。我们的目标是对国家公共卫生产生直接影响的研究，并将为强大的生物防御努力提供科学基础。在上一个资助期间，MRCE通过创建一个跨机构的高度合作研究项目，改变了第七区域的生物防御和EID研究，并在痘病毒、西尼罗河病毒和鼠疫方面取得了开创性的发现。MRCE的新战略计划以两个研究主题为中心。每个人的最终目标都是提高第七区和国家的生物准备能力。一个项目以病原体发现为中心，使用最先进的测序方法来识别新的和以前未被识别的生物威胁。这项工作有望帮助我们“了解我们的敌人”，提高我们针对危险病原体开发诊断和治疗方法的能力。为了帮助制定应对这些威胁的对策，我们建议在分子水平上描述先天免疫系统如何控制致病微生物。我们的科学家将利用这些信息来开发刺激内源性宿主防御的方法，从而保护宿主免受多种生物威胁。支持MRCE战略计划的资源包括华盛顿大学基因组测序中心，这是美国最大的测序中心，新的密苏里大学RBL设施，以及新的最先进的病原体发现设施。最后，MRCE将领导招募新的研究人员进行生物防御的临床和基础研究，并通过四个不同的职业发展计划培训他们如何安全可靠地进行研究。MRCE的独特定位是通过一个特殊的项目来解决最直接和最紧迫的国家生物防御需求，为第七区和国家服务。

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 members of the MRCE are Washington University in St. Louis (site of the administrative core), Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic/Lerner Research Institute, the University of Iowa, St. Louis University, Kansas State University, Iowa State 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 issues in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases (EID). 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. During the previous funding period the MRCE transformed biodefense and EID research in Region VII by creating a highly collaborative research program that crossed institutions and led to seminal discoveries on poxviruses, West Nile Virus and plague. The new Strategic Plan for the MRCE centers on two research themes. Each has as their ultimate goal, improved biopreparedness for Region VII and the nation. One program centers on pathogen discovery, using state of the art sequencing approaches to identify new and previously unrecognized biologic threats. This work promises to help us "know our enemy", improving our ability to develop diagnostics and therapeutics against dangerous pathogens. To help develop countermeasures to these threats, we propose to delineate, at the molecular level, how the innate immune system controls pathogenic microorganisms. Our scientists will use this information to develop ways to stimulate endogenous host defenses that can protect against multiple biological threat agents. Resources supporting the MRCE Strategic Plan include the Washington University Genome Sequencing Center, the largest sequencing center in the United States, the new University of Missouri RBL facility, and new state of the art facilities for pathogen discovery. 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 four distinct Career Development Programs. 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. RELEVANCE: This effort is relevant to public health because it deals with the threat of emerging infectious diseases or bioterrorist attacks. It directly addresses the goal of new diagnostics and new broad spectrum countermeasures for pathogens outlined in the NIAID Plan for Biodefense. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN/CORE A: Strategic Plan and Management (SMP Leader, S. Stanley) STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The MRCE Administrative Core functions as the center's communications and management control center. The Core and its staff, and 2 advisory committees coordinate all center grant, fellowship, and educational programs, and oversee all projects supported with center funding, including research projects, core facilities, career development programs, and the center's emergency response plan. The Administrative Core aims to: 1. Provide resources and expertise in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases for researchers working with class A-C agents throughout region VII, and the areas served by CWRU. 2. Provide funding and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the most innovative and promising research in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases is supported by the MRCE, with built-in flexibility to change Center projects or themes in response to regional and national biodefense needs. 3. Aggressively pursue the best faculty and post-doctoral fellows for training in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. We especially want to increase the representation of women and underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in this effort. 4. Facilitate the exchange of reagents, methodology, and ideas between MRCE members through workshops and annual symposia sponsored by the MRCE. 5. Develop and maintain an emergency response plan that rapidly brings the full scientific and clinical expertise of the MRCE into action in the event of a new bioterrorism attack. [St. Louis University] The purpose of this project is to provide administrative support for MRCE Investigators at Saint Louis University. [University of Iowa] The Administrative Core at The University of Iowa is located in the Department of Microbiology. The Administrative Core will provide overall financial management of the subaward and will work with the appropriate financial officials at The University of Iowa and those officials at other participating institutions to generate accurate and timely reports as required under the terms of the contract. The Administrative Core will also provide lecture series and funding opportunities information to the University's scientific community. [University of Missouri - Columbia] PROJECT SUMMARY (See instructions): The Administrative Core at the University of Missouri will be located in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. The Administrative Core will provide overall financial management of the subaward and will work with the appropriate financial officials at the University of Missouri and those officials at other participating institutions to generate accurate and timely reports as required under the terms of the contract. [Case Western Reserve University] The Administrative Core at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) will be located in the Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology and the Center for Global Health & Diseases. The Administrative Core will provide overall financial management of the subaward and will work with the appropriate financial officials at CWRU and those officials at other participating institutions to generate accurate and timely reports as required under the terms of the contract. Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland, OH