# Emerging and Tropical Infectious Diseases

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2020 · $150,982

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Funds are requested for competitive renewal of a pre-doctoral “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 sciences of microbiology,
immunology, pathology, molecular biology, epidemiology, entomology, vertebrate zoology, biochemistry and
cell biology, 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 and the Center for Tropical Diseases and designation as a
WHO Collaborating Center for Vaccine Research, Evaluation and Training for Emerging Infectious 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 WHO. Thus, the trainees will have opportunities to undertake a variety of potential
research topics from laboratory-based studies at UTMB to field studies overseas. The multidisciplinary
program involves trainees from four graduate programs: Experimental Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology,
Human Pathophysiology & Translational Medicine, and Population Health Sciences. 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 pre-doctoral trainees have access to state-
of-the-art facilities at UTMB including arthropod containment level (ACL)-2, ACL3, BSL3, and animal BSL3.
They participate in multiple research seminar series, including the “Infectious Diseases and Immunity
Colloquium,” and they present their own research results in the above and other Research-in-Progress
seminar series. Most of the former trainees embark on post-doctoral fellowships, and assume positions of
responsibility at medical and graduate schools, colleges and as staff of research institutes and industry.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9989005
- **Project number:** 5T32AI007526-20
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** LYNN SOONG
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $150,982
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-09-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9989005

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9989005, Emerging and Tropical Infectious Diseases (5T32AI007526-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9989005. Licensed CC0.

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