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Dr. Spotswood Spruance - Biodefense Abstract

CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN BIODEFENSE CLINICAL/TRANSLATION RESEARCH

Specific Aim: The specific aim of this career development project is to provide advanced training for health professionals to assume a leadership role in biodefense and emerging infectious disease clinical research. Facilitation of communication and collaborations between clinical and basic scientists, development of understanding of public health practice and policy, and establishment of connections to facilitate the translational research of the RCE basic scientists, especially in development and trials of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics. Objectives, design and methods. The objective of the program will be to train individuals to be able to perform clinical/translational research such as to augment the number of individuals in government, industry and academia who are skilled in biodefense and emerging infectious disease research. A clinical/translational sciences research career development program will be established at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center (UUHSC) in Salt Lake City, Utah. There will be one new trainee per year, either in Pediatrics Infectious Diseases or Adult Infectious Diseases, depending on the training of qualifying applicants. Career development trainees will have completed a year of clinical infectious diseases training at the UUHSC or at a comparable program elsewhere. They will then take a two year biodefense training program composed of the following elements:

1. Required Courses in Biosafety and Ethics.
2. Clinical Microbiology/Virology Laboratorv Training.
3. Training Program in Clinical lnvestigation (TPCI).
4. Research Project.

Progress Report: Adi Gundlapalli, MD, PhD, a junior faculty member in the Divisions of Clinical Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases, has been our trainee during the report period. He has worked under the mentorship of Dr. Spotswood Spruance, the project PI, and Dr. Matthew Samore, the project Co-PI. His research project is entitled "Role of computer-based automated systems in the early diagnosis of agents of bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases." His training will take place from January 9, 2006 until June 30, 2007. Dr. Gundlapalli’s research has three parts. Diagnosis of infectious diseases by computer vs traditional laboratory methodology
Progress. Data has been retrieved from the Division server and installed on Adi’s computer and additional data obtained from the University Hospital. A “Gold standard” for dx of meningitis/encephalitis has been created from a mix of data sources. The database (UUHSC Jan 2002 to July 2004) was searched using meningitis/encephalitis gold standard to determine a preliminary estimate of the number of cases. Computer standards were determined and their power and accuracy tested in comparison with the gold standard.

The results were presented at the October 2006 meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Study of the movement of microorganisms through a hospital environment to improve Disaster Preparedness.

Progress: Transmission mechanisms of influenza, smallpox and plague have been identified by literature search. A course on modeling was taken in Canada this summer. Data for a model will be obtained among health care workers (HCW) by doing a survey of nasal carriage of respiratory pathogens at the UUHSC and Primary Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) in collaboration with Dr. Carrie Byington, a pediatric ID faculty. Ward clerks will be used as a control group. Funding for these microbiology expenses, which is beyond the resources of the RCE award, has recently been obtained by a grant of $25,000 from the PCMC. IRB approval for the studies has been obtained.

Techniques to improve community emergency responses progress: A survey was performed to determine the perceptions and potential responses of hospital employees (e.g. not coming to work) to the occurrence of an influenza pandemic. There were 1189 responses (30-35% response rate). Analysis of the data is in progress.