AI for Infectious Disease Forecasting
Source: unmc.edu
Global Center for Health Security
Nebraska has an all-volunteer team ready for any biocontainment crisis. The Global Center is led by experts in biopreparedness, high-consequence infections research, education, and clinical care. Scholars advance global health security, and affiliates are experts collaborating to advance global health security.
C-STARS, the Center for Sustainment of Trauma Readiness Skills- Omaha, is a collaboration between UNMC, Nebraska Medicine, and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s School of Aerospace Medicine. C-STARS Omaha works with UNMC’s Global Center for Health Security, iEXCEL, and the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit to utilize the medical center’s biopreparedness training and research capabilities.
A variety of professionals provide support and project management to further the Global Center for Health Security’s mission. The Global Center for Health Security is the U.S. institution for management of high-consequence infections. Clinical capabilities include biological, chemical, burn, and radiation domains. Their expertise is sought worldwide and sanctioned by the U.S. government.
The GCHS is the home base to the national Training, Simulation, and Quarantine Center and the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. Leading scientists focus on chemical weapons, drug discovery and public health. The GCHS addresses emerging infectious diseases through international partnerships and innovation. The GCHS has 4 core capabilities: Emerging Pathogens Lab , Nebraska Biocontainment Unit , the National Quarantine Unit, and deployable teams.
The GCHS enhances capabilities to respond to public health challenges through core programs and partners with organizations to address global health challenges through research and innovation. Programs are led by GCHS leadership, scholars, and affiliates. Academic programs include the Health Security Fellowship and the Biological Defense and Health Security program.
Find information about emerging pathogens, diseases, and outbreaks. Stay updated on worldwide global health and emerging pathogens outbreaks. The GCHS is monitoring measles cases and providing information, resources, and news. There is information available regarding the HPAI H5N1- Avian Influenza outbreak, including resources, news, webinars, and an unofficial map. The COVID-19 page contains recent news, resources, manuals, and playbooks. Biweekly overviews of new data and developments by James V. Lawler, MD, MPH, FIDSA are on the Health Emergencies page. The Global Center for Health Security is monitoring the spread of mpox and providing resources. Comprehensive resources, information, news, and situational updates on the Marburg Virus Disease outbreak are available. Scheduled and past events and annual reports are also available.
AI Tool for Disease Prediction
Johns Hopkins reports that a new tool uses large language modeling to predict infectious disease risk and outperforms existing forecasting methods. Researchers at Johns Hopkins and Duke universities created the tool with federal support to help public health officials predict, track, and manage outbreaks of infectious diseases including flu and COVID-19.
Lauren Gardner of Johns Hopkins, who created the COVID-19 dashboard, said that predicting disease spread was challenging due to the interplay of complex and constantly changing factors. She said that models were not able to include critical types of information such as when new variants emerged or policies changed but that the new tool fills this gap.