Ecology of Infectious Diseases

The Ecology of Infectious Diseases program supports the development of predictive models and the discovery of principles governing the transmission dynamics of infectious disease agents. To that end, research proposals should focus on understanding the ecological, evolutionary and socio-ecological determinants of transmission by vectors or abiotic agents; the population dynamics and genetics of reservoir species; the transmission to humans, other non-human animals or plants; or the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of disease communication. Research may be on zoonotic, vector-borne or enteric diseases of either terrestrial, freshwater, or marine systems and organisms, including diseases of non-human animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems. Diseases affecting humans must have an environmental transmission component; research on solely human-to-human transmitted disease systems are not eligible for EID support. Proposals for research on disease systems of public health concern to developing countries are strongly encouraged, as are disease systems of agricultural concern. Investigators are encouraged to include links to the public health research community, including for example, participation of epidemiologists, physicians, veterinarians, social scientists, medical entomologists, pathologists, virologists, or parasitologists.