Preparedness and Response Applied Research

Save the Date

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will hold a virtual town hall meeting about the history and future of CDC-funded public health preparedness and response centers on Wednesday, June 28th, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm EDT.

Pre-registration is required.

Event details and a registration link can be found at CDC Town Hall.

Research is critical for CDC and its state and local partners to prepare for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies and disasters efficiently and effectively. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (PHEPR) Applied Research Program leads CPR’s initiatives to strengthen and expand the evidence base for preparedness and response and translate science into evidence-based practices to improve federal, state, local and territorial (STLT) preparedness and response to all-hazards emergencies.

Applied Research Funding Opportunities

The PHEPR Applied Research Program includes an annual congressional appropriation of $8.2m, of which 3.2% is set aside for the Small Business Innovation Program (SBIR).

PHEPR Applied Research Program

CDC programs are solicited to submit research concepts addressing STLT emergency preparedness and response, with respect to critical knowledge gaps, translation activities, and dissemination of practice-based science. Current priority domains are drawn from CDC’s 2018 CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities.

  • Community resilience
  • Emergency management

Health equity is a goal and overarching principle of the science agenda and is applied across all domains.

Recently Funded Projects

2020

  1. Improving Accuracy of Mortality Reporting for Emergency and Disaster-Related Deaths at State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Levels.
  2. Informing Use of Graduated Response Techniques to Respond to Public Health Emergencies.
  3. Developing a Clinical Framework for Cytokine Administration in Patients with Acute Radiation Syndrome following a Nuclear Detonation. National Alliance for Radiation Readiness.
  4. Feasibility Study of the Composite of Post-Event Well-being (COPEWELL) Model for Community Functioning & Resilience. Johns Hopkins University.

2019

  1. Assessment of U.S. Clinical Laboratories’ Willingness and Ability to Support Public Health Emergency Response.
  2. Public Health Use of Current Resources and Existing Surveillance Systems to Monitor Mental and Behavioral Health after an Emergency.
  3. Data Preparedness: Support Rapid and Effective Decision-making During Emergency Response.
  4. Translation of Vulnerable Population Research Findings: Mass Care Sheltering.

SBIR

CDC’s SBIR Program targets innovations in diagnostics, data science (e.g., artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, etc.), surveillance, occupational safety and health, and public health, including preparedness and response. This program helps to develop technologies in support of CDC’s health promotion and disease prevention needs.

orr develops preparedness and response topics and awards competitive projects submitted by domestic small businesses.

  • Phase I projects – funded to support exploration of the technical merit or feasibility of an idea or technology. Awards up to $150,000 for a six-month project period.
  • Phase II projects – funded to support full research and development effort that expands Phase I results and evaluates the potential for commercialization. Awards up to $1,000,000 for two a year project period.

Science Agenda

The PHEPR Applied Research Program is providing leadership, with input from a range of STLT stakeholders, to develop a orr Science Agenda that aims to guide the development, translation, and dissemination of evidence-based practices for public health emergency preparedness and response.

  • Identify emergency preparedness and response research needs and priorities that address field-level gaps and improve STLT action through evidence-based practice
  • Guide science investments that support STLT public health emergency practice
  • Offer value to other investors and scientists in the PHEPR field

Outcomes from this agenda setting process will be used to establish funding priorities for the FY22 and FY23 PHEPR Applied Research Program.

For further information, please contact CPROAR@cdc.gov.