# Emerging and Tropical Infectious Diseases

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2021 · $177,529

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Funds are requested for competitive renewal of a predoctoral “Emerging and Tropical Infectious Diseases”
Training Program to support four trainees. Training is provided by 21 Program faculty members. Emerging and
tropical infectious diseases encompass the broad-based multidisciplinary basic sciences, as well as field-related
sciences (ecology, entomology, epidemiology, vertebrate zoology), with this program focusing on “vector-borne
diseases.” The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston has made a major commitment to
emerging and tropical diseases, including the development of the Galveston National Laboratory, Institute for
Human Infections and Immunity, Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, and Center for Tropical Diseases. These
entities provide trainees of this program with a highly attractive array of research areas greatly relevant to
emerging and tropical infectious diseases. In addition, students can undertake epidemiology studies overseas
and internships at the World Health Organization sites. Therefore, the trainees will have opportunities to
undertake a variety of potential research topics from laboratory-based studies at UTMB to field studies in local
and oversea sites. The multidisciplinary program involves trainees from five graduate programs: Biochemistry &
Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Experimental Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, and Human
Pathophysiology & Translational Medicine. Formal course work is completed in the first two years, affording the
trainee with a comprehensive background in infectious disease concepts. Laboratory rotations familiarize the
students with state-of-the-art technology and facilities and orient them to potential future mentors. The students
select mentors during the first and early part of the second year and prepare and defend a research dissertation
topic in consultation with a research committee. The research is then conducted, culminating in the dissertation
and defense. The predoctoral trainees have access to state-of-the-art facilities at UTMB, including arthropod
containment level (ACL)-2, ACL3, BSL3, and animal BSL3 and BSL4. They participate in multiple research
seminar series, including the “Infectious Diseases & Immunity Colloquium,” and they present their own research
results in the graduate program Research-in-Progress seminar series. The Program’s high caliber, NIH-funded
training faculty have years of mentoring experience with trainees that publish multiple papers in scientific
journals. Importantly, this T32 also provides opportunities for junior (associate members) faculty to be mentored
by senior training faculty members. Most of the former trainees embark on postdoctoral fellowships and assume
positions of responsibility at medical and graduate schools, colleges, and as staff of research institutes and
industry. Overall, this training program has integrated well with local research and education programs and
prepared our trainees for emerging and vect...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10271016
- **Project number:** 2T32AI007526-21
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** LYNN SOONG
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $177,529
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1997-09-01 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10271016

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10271016, Emerging and Tropical Infectious Diseases (2T32AI007526-21). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10271016. Licensed CC0.

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