Established in 2003, the University of Iowa Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases is focused on research and training in cross-cutting emerging infectious diseases, particularly those that are zoonotic. The Center is operated by faculty from the Department of Epidemiology within the University of Iowa and the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative Medicine at the Veterinary College at Iowa State University. CEID has won a national reputation for excellence in One Health zoonotic disease research in areas of vector borne disease, anti-microbial resistance, and environmental, occupational, and wildlife exposures to infectious diseases.
Our Mission
To employ the latest laboratory technologies, advanced epidemiological methods, and clinical evaluations to understand and control emerging infectious diseases, particularly zoonotic diseases that affect both animals and people.
Vision For a Healthier Future
By establishing networks of scientists and clinicians in multiple collaborating institutions, the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases will serve as a research and educational resource for Iowa, the region, the nation and the world. Through such collaborations the Center will gather and analyze research findings including epidemiological data concerning human and veterinary zoonotic pathogens. Center staff and faculty will also evaluate infectious disease diagnostics and public health interventions in support of reducing infectious diseases morbidity and burden. The Center’s excellence will be internationally recognized, yielding training opportunities that attracts accomplished graduate students, foreign trainees and post-doctoral students to work with and within the center.
The Goals We Strive For and the Outcomes We Have Seen
The primary goals and outcomes for the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases are the following:
- Provide Platform for One Health research in Iowa.
- This novel enterprise will focus on specific emerging infectious diseases incorporating health scientists who study epidemiology and pathogenesis of these selected agents in human, veterinary and insect hosts.
- Research efforts will be investigator-driven UI/ISU collaborative efforts that, as their goal, provide a better understanding of zoonotic disease emergence, transmission, pathogenesis and treatment.
- Provide novel training opportunities for the best and brightest of Iowa and beyond.
- CEID collaborative research efforts will be a launching point to attain further support for recruitment, training and mentoring the top regional, national and international students in recognition, understanding and prevention of zoonotic infectious diseases.
- Recruiting students to CEID will be based on outreach to bright, interested, highly-motivated, medical, veterinary and public health students; traditionally outstanding students and broad-minded thinkers.
- CEID training will provide these students with a much sought-after skill-set desired by stakeholder industries within the state of Iowa, to multiple pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and more traditional academic career paths.
- Re-establish and build a nationally renowned zoonotic disease center at the University of Iowa.
- CEID member scientists craft and apply for multiple sources of collaborative funding including from NIH, USDA, CDC, NSF, multiple on-governmental foundations and industry.
- Collaborative sessions between core Pls and more junior scientists will focus on best-practices for attaining funding from these sources, and identification of stringent grant application revision teams before each submission.