Title: Clemson University Receives $17.5 Million Grant from CDC to Enhance Outbreak Detection and Response
September 28, 2023 – Clemson University’s Department of Public Health Sciences has been awarded a $17.5 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve outbreak detection and response in South Carolina and beyond. The grant will support the Disease Modeling and Analytics to Inform Outbreak Preparedness, Response, Intervention, Mitigation, and Elimination in South Carolina (DMA-PRIME) initiative.
Under the DMA-PRIME initiative, researchers at Clemson University will utilize data-driven approaches to conduct infectious disease forecasting, design decision-support toolkits, and enhance communication methods with public health organizations and decision makers. The goal is to develop innovative early warning systems that can identify and predict the severity of disease outbreaks, allowing healthcare providers to prioritize emergency response efforts effectively.
Led by Lior Rennert, an associate professor in the public health sciences department and director of the Center for Public Health Modeling and Response, the initiative will collaborate closely with Clemson Rural Health, Prisma Health, University of South Carolina, and the Medical University of South Carolina. Partnerships with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) are also established.
Clemson University President Jim Clements expressed pride in the university’s recognition as a national leader in public health preparedness and community engagement. The CDC grant will allow Clemson University to strengthen existing public health frameworks and partnerships, ultimately benefiting the people of South Carolina and beyond.
Over the course of the five-year grant, DMA-PRIME will integrate innovative analytic approaches to inform and improve preparedness, response, intervention, mitigation, and elimination of infectious disease outbreaks. The initiative will also focus on identifying specific areas and communities in need of additional support during public health emergencies.
DMA-PRIME is one of 13 initiatives funded by the CDC to establish the Outbreak Analytics and Disease Modeling Network (OADN) in collaboration with its Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA). As a designated Center of Integration of Outbreak Analytics and Disease Modeling into Practice, DMA-PRIME will develop and implement promising approaches for outbreak detection and forecasting, conducting pilot tests at the state and local level to evaluate their effectiveness in real-world settings.
The College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS) at Clemson University, established in 2016, is dedicated to building healthy people and communities in South Carolina and beyond. CBSHS combines work in seven disciplines to fulfill its mission.
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