CEIRR Network

The third CEIRR Annual Network Meeting featured over 50 session speakers, 40 flash talks, over 200 posters, and ample networking activities among researchers and staff. Read the iDPCC’s coverage here: https://ow.ly/QYhQ50T54Vo

To support clear and consistent data sharing in the ongoing bovine H5N1 outbreak, NIAID, CEIRR, and their collaborators prepared best practices guidance for the appropriate collection and sharing of data from milk sampling, including retail milk samples: https://ow.ly/Fx2050SWiBi

Register now for the next CEIRR Computational Modeling Core research webinar on Wednesday, August 14 from 2-3:30 pm CT where Dr. Lin Wang (University of Cambridge) will discuss "The role of antigenic diversity in driving individual and population risk": https://ow.ly/JGEy50SUNlj

CEIRR Network researchers presented their work and the iDPCC shared outreach materials at the #ASV2024 meeting in Columbus, Ohio this past June. Check out the iDPCC's coverage of the event here: https://ow.ly/lIZF50SUMnv

It was much pleasure and fun to meet with colleagues and friends at the CEIRR Network Annual Event hosted by CRIP team at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and The New York Academy of Medicine. Even the CrowdStrike #outage ✈️ was unable to prevent us from some good networking and research presentation. See ya all next year at The University of Georgia in Athens

The recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b in dairy cattle in the U.S. poses an unprecedented pandemic threat. The number of affected states has reached up to 13 with 175 confirmed cases totally. The viruses might be transmitted from cow to cow directly and interstate spread should likely occur through the milking process and transportation of infected cows between the farms. Viral RNA traces were also detected in wastewater The infection involves lactating animals with very high viral loads in the milk. Although conjunctivitis was the major symptom in several human cases reported so far, WHO is warning about potential mortality rate to exceed 60% upon infection by raw (unpasteurized) milk from sick cows. A(H5N1) viruses can induce hyper-inflammatory responses (a.k.a. ‘cytokine storm’) and also spread systemically through multiple organs and tissues including the central nervous system. How widespread is the virus in dairy cattle actually? Can cows become a “mixing vessel” that fosters further virus evolution? Should it respond to Tamiflu or other antiviral medications available? Are the formulated vaccines suitable to protect us? St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is one of seven Collaborating Centers operating under the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System and U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR Network). Here, the researchers systematically conduct surveillance for emerging and zoonotic influenza viruses. They analyze risk assessment data to address these questions and ensure preparedness to potential future pandemics.

Last week, UGA's Center for Influenza Disease & Emergence Research (CIDER) attended the annual CEIRR Network meeting at the New York Academy of Medicine. At the meeting, CIDER members networked, presented their research and competed in poster competitions. See the photos below to see the CIDER team (two group photos were needed to fit everyone)! Next year, CEIRR's Annual Network Meeting will be held on home soil in Athens, GA! Learn more about CIDER at https://zurl.co/gNxH.

Congratulations again to CEIRR #ANM2024 poster presentation winners and to Penn-CEIRR for winning the Center teambuilding competition! We hope everyone made it home safely after a great meeting this year! Looking forward to next year in Athens, GA!

The final day of the CEIRR #ANM2024 ended with Center updates and research talks by JH-CEIRR and SJCEIRR. We hope everyone enjoyed this year's meeting and can't wait for next year's meeting!

The School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile seeks a postdoctoral researcher in the "One Health & Emerging Diseases" research line under the sponsorship of Dr. Pedro Jiménez of SJCEIRR! Applications due August 9. Email Marcela Paz Muñoz (dipmedvet@uc.cl) for more details.