# Strengthening the ISMMS research and response capabilities for pathogens of pandemic potential

> **NIH NIH G20** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2022 · $2,314,456

## Abstract

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) is an international leader in medical and scientific
training, biomedical research, and patient care. The ISMMS is the medical school for the Mount Sinai Health
System (MSHS), which includes eight hospital campuses within the New York City metropolitan area that is a
major focal point of international travel. The MSHS leveraged its large metropolitan footprint by establishing
pathogen discovery and pandemic surveillance activities. The Department of Microbiology maintains robust
research programs that are focused on investigating the biology of new and emerging RNA viruses with
pandemic potential and developing novel medical countermeasures against these RNA that are focus of the
NIH Antiviral Program for Pandemics (APP). These research programs include pandemic preparedness efforts
focused seven RNA virus families or orders of greatest pandemic concern, i.e., Bunyavirales, Coronaviridae,
Filoviridae, Flaviviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Picornaviridae, and Togaviridae. Since 2017, faculty members of the
Department of Microbiology have co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications on these viral pathogens of
public health concern. The Department of Microbiology is internationally recognized for its influenza research
programs, including investigation of highly pathogenic influenza viruses that require enhanced biocontainment
facilities and safety protocols. The BSL-3/ABSL-3 biocontainment facilities are essential shared resources that
ensure biosafety and biosecurity of RNA viruses of significant public health concern and to safely conduct
research investigating the biology of viral pathogens with pandemic potential. Our application is focused on
infrastructure improvements to modernize three biocontainment facilities to improve biosafety, improve
efficiency of operations, and expand research capabilities. The first aim of the infrastructure improvements
focus on upgrades of the HVAC, autoclaves, biological safety cabinets, and ventilated animal caging systems
to modernize and improve the efficiency of operations of the biocontainment facilities. The second aim of the
infrastructure improvements to improve biocontainment research workflow on pathogens with pandemic
potential focus, including BioTek multimode microplate readers, imaging stations, and a Luminex platform for
multiplex immunoassays.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10611770
- **Project number:** 1G20AI174733-01
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Randy A. Albrecht
- **Activity code:** G20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $2,314,456
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-16 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10611770

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10611770, Strengthening the ISMMS research and response capabilities for pathogens of pandemic potential (1G20AI174733-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10611770. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*