Tracking and predicting TB, substance use trends, and COVID-19 spread
Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (R35)
This project builds computer tools to help public health teams spot and predict tuberculosis, substance use patterns, and COVID-19 spread for communities and patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11085080 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As someone affected by these conditions, this project builds computer models that use existing health and surveillance data to spot where tuberculosis, substance use problems, and COVID-19 are spreading. The team of statisticians, mathematicians, clinicians, and public health officials will combine data sources and mathematical methods to find transmission hotspots and estimate how well interventions work. They will apply and refine these tools across TB, substance use disorder, and SARS-CoV-2 so lessons from one area can help the others. Work is based at Boston University and will rely mainly on secondary public health and clinical data rather than enrolling people in clinical interventions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People affected by tuberculosis, individuals with or at risk for substance use disorder, and community members in areas with COVID-19 transmission who are represented in public health or clinical data would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Individuals whose cases are not captured in the data sources used (for example, unreported or undocumented cases) or who need direct individual clinical treatments rather than population-level monitoring may not receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these tools could help public health officials detect outbreaks sooner and target interventions to reduce infections, overdoses, and COVID-19 transmission.
How similar studies have performed: Related modeling approaches have informed public-health responses to COVID-19 and TB before, though combining TB, SUD, and SARS-CoV-2 modeling in one program is a newer, integrative approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: White, Laura Forsberg — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: White, Laura Forsberg
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 below.