Tools to understand how disease spreads in small, organized groups
Official title: Methods and Tools for Understanding Disease Dynamics in Small, Structured Populations
Funded at Washington State University · NIH-11369246 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to improve math models of how diseases spread in small, structured groups so we can better predict and prevent outbreaks in real-world settings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pullman, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $368,208 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147013-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11369246 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
No specific patient participation is required for this grant; the work is methodological.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient participation is not part of this grant’s immediate activities.
What this research studies
This project focuses on strengthening the methods used to model disease dynamics in small populations where people interact in organized ways, such as healthcare teams or workplaces. It looks at how contact patterns are shaped by both individual behavior and structural factors like staffing, work assignments, and building design. By combining ideas from epidemiology and ecology, the team will develop stochastic models that reflect both personal variation and external constraints. The goal is to create better tools that public health officials can use to understand and respond to outbreaks in small groups. The work spans five years and centers on improving how these smaller-scale interactions influence disease spread.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better, more accurate modeling tools could lead to earlier warnings and more effective interventions to prevent infections in healthcare settings and other small populations.
How similar studies have gone: Previous modeling work has shown promise in small-population dynamics, but there is a need for stronger foundational methods.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington State University
Pullman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lofgren, Eric T — Washington State University
- Study coordinator: Lofgren, Eric T
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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.