Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of Washington a Project Grant of $182,422 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for the period April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2031. This K01 career development award funds a comprehensive training and research program focused on enhancing influenza vaccine effectiveness through genetic surveillance and antigenic matching analysis. The award supports the principal investigator's transition to an independent researcher through formal coursework, workshops, seminars, and mentored research activities, with the candidate dedicating 75% effort under the supervision of Dr. Anirban Basu and co-mentors from the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

The core deliverables include development of methodological expertise in spatio-temporal data analysis, influenza virus evolution modeling, and value-of-information analysis applied to genetic surveillance data. The funded research aims to generate evidence-based insights into how improved antigenic matching in vaccine strain selection can mitigate influenza disease burden and advance data-driven public health policy. The training and research activities are designed to position the investigator to establish an independent research program at the intersection of influenza epidemiology, health policy, statistics, and decision science.