Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases Network

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

NIAID supports research at external academic and research institutions (known as extramural research). Learn more about NIAID.

Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID)

DMID supports extramural research to control and prevent diseases caused by virtually all human infectious agents except HIV. Learn more about DMID.

Overview of CREID Network

The Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases Network (CREID Network), comprised of 10 Research Centers and a Coordinating Center, is a coordinated network operating in regions around the globe where emerging and re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks are likely to occur. Multidisciplinary teams of investigators will conduct pathogen/host surveillance, study pathogen transmission, pathogenesis, and immunologic responses in the host, and will develop reagents and diagnostic assays for improved detection of important emerging pathogens and their vectors.

Investment in the CREID Network allows NIAID to focus resources on building a sustainable, scalable, and adaptable rapid research response infrastructure that will be beneficial to respond to the unique situational requirements that emerging pathogens impose. Similarly, the ability to expand and strengthen partnerships will allow NIAID to pivot quickly in support of critical research efforts for new global disease threats.

The urgent need to establish a network dedicated to addressing critical research topics in emerging infectious diseases and development of regional scientific expertise and research capacity was identified as a result of NIAID’s lessons learned from prior infectious disease outbreaks including Ebola and Zika, and the need to respond quickly to emerging outbreaks. It is also consistent with lessons learned from global responses to HIV/AIDs, West Nile virus, anthrax, and H1N1 influenza. The CREID Network offers an important flexible mechanism where resources can quickly be deployed to initiate critical research efforts supporting outbreak response to limit morbidity (sickness) and mortality (death).

The CREID Network also includes a Pilot Research Program to support and mentor the next generation of emerging infectious disease researchers and in-country scientists. This program will help develop capacity for emerging infectious disease research in high-risk regions around the world.

Two people in a lab wearing PPE and working
Source: Center for Research in Emerging Infectious Disease-Epidemiology, Surveillance, Pathogenesis
Jean Patterson, PhD Acting Virology Branch Chief
Sara Woodson, PhD CREID Team Lead and Program Officer for the Research Centers
Julie Dyall, PhD Program Officer, Diagnostics and Reagent Development
Rachelle Smith, PhD Program Officer, Coordinating Center