NIH-funded research U01 cooperative agreement

West Africa Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases

Official title: West African Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases

Funded at University of Texas Med Br Galveston · NIH-11615256 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A US-funded center in West Africa aims to better understand and prevent outbreaks of deadly viruses by studying how diseases spread between animals, people, and the environment.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Texas Med Br Galveston
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Galveston, United States)
Project startSeptember 17, 2026
Project endJune 30, 2031
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$100,770
NIH project number3U01AI151801-06S1
Project IDNIH-11615256 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Not applicable to a specific patient group; the work focuses on surveillance, field studies, and clinical analyses in endemic areas.

Less likely to help

No direct treatment or trial participation is described for individual patients in this grant.

What this research studies

This grant supports field research in four West African countries to track how emerging viruses move from animals to humans and how outbreaks begin and spread. Researchers will study virus transmission in local communities, monitor mosquitoes and other vectors, and analyze clinical data from patients and livestock to identify risk factors. The goal is to improve early warning, response, and prevention strategies that protect people in Africa and abroad.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to earlier detection and better prevention of dangerous outbreaks that threaten global health.

How similar studies have gone: Past outbreaks have taught us that coordinated surveillance and field research can reduce spread, but this project expands geographic scope and human-animal-environment data integration.

Where this research is happening

  • University of Texas Med Br Galveston
    Galveston, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Cross, Robert W — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
  • Study coordinator: Cross, Robert W

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • HPV and pregnancy risk: a big study following 1,280 pregnancies

    A large pregnancy study at UTMB looks at whether human papillomavirus (HPV) during pregnancy is linked to problems like preterm birth.

    NIH research University of Texas Med Br Galveston · Galveston, United States · NIH-11619930

  • West African Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases

    A national West African collaboration is studying how dangerous viruses spread between animals and people, with the goal of improving prevention and response.

    NIH research University of Texas Med Br Galveston · Galveston, United States · NIH-11616349

  • West African Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases

    A multi-country program in West Africa aims to better understand how emerging infectious diseases spread from animals to people and how to prevent outbreaks that could affect the U.S.

    NIH research University of Texas Med Br Galveston · Galveston, United States · NIH-11615799

  • West Africa Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases

    A patient-facing center in West Africa studies how emerging viruses spread to people and livestock so we can better protect communities and prevent outbreaks.

    NIH research University of Texas Med Br Galveston · Galveston, United States · NIH-11615773

  • West African Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases

    Aiming to understand and prevent emerging viruses in West Africa to protect people in the U.S. and globally.

    NIH research University of Texas Med Br Galveston · Galveston, United States · NIH-11615306

  • Coordinating Research on Emerging Arboviral Threats in the Neotropics II

    A nationwide network will study how dengue, Zika, and other mosquito-borne viruses emerge and spread from the Neotropics to protect people in the US.

    NIH research University of Texas Med Br Galveston · Galveston, United States · NIH-11612787

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.