Coordinating Research on Emerging Arboviral Threats in the Neotropics II
Official title: Coordinating Research on Emerging Arboviral Threats Encompassing the Neotropics II (CREATE-NEO II)
Funded at University of Texas Med Br Galveston · NIH-11612769 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-site effort to understand and respond to arboviruses like dengue, Zika, and Oropouche in the neotropics and prevent outbreaks from reaching the US.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Galveston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $32,400 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AI151807-06S3 |
| Project ID | NIH-11612769 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals in arid, urban, or rural settings within the neotropics where arboviruses are emerging, as well as communities participating in surveillance and diagnostic efforts.
✕Less likely to help
Participants not directly involved in surveillance or who are in locations without arbovirus activity may not benefit.
What this research studies
This program brings partners in the US, Brazil, Panama, and new collaborators in several countries to study how environmental changes and animal hosts influence arbovirus spillover and spread. Researchers will collect samples from humans, wildlife, and mosquitoes across diverse sites and use diagnostics and phylogenetic modeling to map risk. The project aims to uncover how extreme weather and landscape patterns affect transmission and to build coordinated responses that can prevent or blunt introductions of arboviruses into the US. It involves establishing cross-border collaborations, data sharing, and methodological approaches to track and respond to arboviral threats in real time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could improve early detection and prevention of arboviral outbreaks, protecting public health in the US and the neotropics.
How similar studies have gone: Previous coordinated surveillance efforts have improved understanding of arbovirus dynamics, but this program expands regional collaboration and real-time response capabilities.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Med Br Galveston
Galveston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vasilakis, Nikos — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
- Study coordinator: Vasilakis, Nikos
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.