Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga received a $173,777 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Mathematical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) awarded September 1, 2026, with completion targeted for August 31, 2029. This collaborative research project develops multiscale mathematical and computational modeling frameworks for viral infections that integrate processes across three interconnected levels: intracellular dynamics (viral entry, replication, assembly, and release), extracellular dynamics (viral kinetics and immune responses including antibody and cellular immunity), and population-level transmission (incorporating multiple transmission routes, vaccination, waning immunity, and variant emergence). The deliverables include unified multiscale systems models analyzing how molecular mechanisms, host immune responses, and transmission processes interact across scales, utilizing dynamical systems analysis, bifurcation theory, and stochastic modeling approaches.

The project produces research outputs and educational products designed to advance understanding of viral disease dynamics and inform public health intervention strategies. Specific deliverables encompass mathematical tools and computational models that connect intracellular, extracellular, and population-level viral processes into a cohesive framework, enabling researchers to evaluate how interventions and prevention measures affect outcomes across biological scales. Additionally, the grant supports interdisciplinary educational and outreach activities providing training opportunities that introduce students to applied mathematics in biomedical research and public health, contributing to workforce development in computational biology and infectious disease modeling within the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program portfolio.