Ginkgo to Support CDC-Funded Consortium to Develop AI-Based Technologies for Epidemic Forecasting
October 10 2023
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Northeastern University, which has received a grant from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over the next five years to head an innovation center led by a consortium of organizations designed to help the United States to detect and prepare for the next outbreak of infectious disease.
Ginkgo Biosecurity will help this innovation center (called EPISTORM: The Center for Advanced Epidemic Analytics and Predictive Modeling Technology) develop analytic tools by applying new technologies, such as epidemic modeling and analytics using travel-based pathogen genomic data and wastewater testing, digital biointelligence, and an advanced AI framework for selecting optimal response measures during epidemics.
Ginkgo will also support development of new AI-based early warning systems capable of synthesizing multiple indicators to anticipate sharp changes of disease activity.
“We are thrilled to partner with CDC, Northeastern University, and the EPISTORM consortium to develop new technologies for early warning and epidemic forecasting,” said Nita Madhav, Head of Epidemiology and Global Risk Analytics at Ginkgo Biosecurity. “Early warning can give public health officials and the national security sector the intelligence they need to make data-informed decisions about biological threats.”
The consortium’s national network is the first step towards creating a nationwide resource for outbreak analytics, disease modeling, and forecasting to support more effective response during public health emergencies.
