# Epidemiologic and Genomic Evaluation of Influenza D Among Cattle Workers and Their Community

> **NIH ALLCDC K01** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 2020 · $108,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The objective of this Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) is to provide Dr. Jessica Leibler
with the training, mentoring and research experience needed to support her transition to an independent
researcher in occupational health epidemiology, with particular focus on genomic and translational approaches
to evaluate emerging influenza viruses from livestock. Dr. Leibler is an Assistant Professor of Environmental
Health at the Boston University School of Public Health with training and research experience in emerging
infectious diseases among agricultural workers. She seeks additional education and mentorship to guide her
learning of advanced genomic and translational skills to allow her to achieve full research independence in her
field. Dr. Leibler's training goals are 1) developing content and methodological skills to perform genomic
epidemiology research; 2) learning and applying bioinformatics approaches to analyzing genomic sequence
data; and 3) establishing expertise in applied translational research in occupational health. To achieve these
goals, Dr. Leibler has established a mentoring team at Boston University comprised of two Co-Mentors with
complementary expertise: Dr. W. Evan Johnson, a biostatistician and computational biologist with expertise in
analysis of genome sequencing data; and Dr. Roberta F. White, an occupational health epidemiologist with
expertise in both occupational health research and translation. An advisory committee that includes senior
investigators with expertise in infectious diseases and genomic epidemiology will support her training and
research goals. This research is based at Boston University, with substantial opportunities for collaboration and
support.
The emergence of human pandemic influenza viruses from livestock production is a well-established
phenomenon, and livestock workers are at significant risk of exposure. The K01 research is focused on a
novel, emerging genus of influenza viruses, influenza D (IDV), for which cattle has been identified as the host
species. A small pilot study in northern Florida in 2016 documented elevated rates of exposure to this
pathogen among cattle workers (>90%), and seroprevalence among cattle in some regions is more than 80%.
Dr. Leibler's proposed research expands on this pilot study to characterize infection, risk factors and health
effects of IDV among cattle workers, their household members and community referents (n=250) (Aim 1);
depict the phylogenic lineage of publically available IDV isolates as well as those recovered from this study
(Aim 2); and to engage public health decision-makers, clinicians, workers and industry around translational,
evidence-based strategies to prevent and identify transmission (Aim 3). This research will form the basis for Dr.
Leibler's planned R01 submission focused on transmission dynamics of zoonotic influenza within households
of industrial livestock workers, and an R21 proposal on human gen...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9942346
- **Project number:** 5K01OH011432-03
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Jessica H Leibler
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $108,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9942346

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9942346, Epidemiologic and Genomic Evaluation of Influenza D Among Cattle Workers and Their Community (5K01OH011432-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9942346. Licensed CC0.

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