Spatially responsive mass vaccination for urban rabies
Official title: Spatially responsive mass vaccination strategies for urban rabies
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11519710 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project tests smarter placement of vaccination sites to increase mass canine rabies vaccination in cities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $111,543 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI168291-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11519710 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are dog owners and residents in urban areas where vaccination campaigns are conducted, especially in high-risk neighborhoods.
✕Less likely to help
Some individuals in areas with low rabies transmission may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
This study uses computer models and real-world data to place vaccination sites where people live and travel, aiming to reduce wait times and boost vaccination uptake for dogs in urban areas. It will test these strategies in Arequipa, Peru, where livestock and human movement influence vaccination access. The approach combines human movement data and queueing theory with high-throughput vaccination efforts to fill gaps in coverage. Results could guide how cities organize future pet vaccination campaigns to be faster, fairer, and more effective.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to more efficient vaccination campaigns that protect both pets and people from rabies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior campaigns show that strategically placed vaccination sites can improve uptake, but this study tests a novel spatially responsive approach in a real-world urban setting.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Castillo Neyra, Ricardo — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Castillo Neyra, Ricardo
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Protective dengue vaccines that steer T and B cell responses
A vaccine study aims to guide the body’s T and B cells to fight all four dengue virus types safely and effectively.
-
Respiratory pathogen–specific T cell signatures after vaccination, infection, and treatment
A research effort to map how immune T cells respond to respiratory infections and vaccines, with potential to guide better vaccines and treatments for conditions like covid-19 and pertussis.
-
Malaria vaccine and infection: how the body’s early and later immune responses relate to protection
Researchers are studying how people’s immune systems respond to the malaria pre-erythrocytic stage, whether after vaccination or infection, to identify which responses are linked to protection.
-
Spatially responsive mass vaccination for urban rabies
A new plan uses data and maps to place vaccination sites where they’re most needed in cities, aiming to boost rabies vaccination for both people and dogs.
-
Vaccine failure after Covid-19 vaccination in older adults
This project follows vaccinated older adults to understand who among them still gets Covid-19 and what factors make those outcomes worse.
-
Trusted school messengers boosting non-mandated vaccines for kids
A school-based program aims to increase uptake of vaccines like influenza and HPV among children by using trusted school staff to share accurate vaccine information.
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.