Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP)

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) is a specialized center within the University of Minnesota that focuses on enhancing public health preparedness and responding to emerging infectious diseases. Founded in 2001 by Michael Osterholm, CIDRAP's mission is to prevent illness and death from infectious diseases through epidemiological research and the rapid translation of scientific information into real-world practical applications and solutions.

History and Foundation

CIDRAP was established in 2001 by Michael Osterholm to bridge the gap between scientific research and public health action. It is important to note that CIDRAP is an independent entity and is not part of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) or the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Primary Activities and Initiatives

News Publishing and Public Information

The CIDRAP news team provides daily updates on critical public health threats, including pandemic influenza, bioterrorism, food safety, and avian influenza. Through its website, the center provides comprehensive overviews of infectious disease topics and curated lists of recent scientific literature, serving a large global audience of newsletter subscribers and social media followers.

Vaccine Research and Development Roadmaps

CIDRAP has been instrumental in creating strategic planning tools to accelerate vaccine development:

• Influenza Vaccines R&D Roadmap (IVR) 2021: Developed with support from the Wellcome Trust, this roadmap coordinates funding and stakeholder engagement to improve seasonal vaccines and develop universal or broadly protective influenza vaccines. It focuses on areas such as virology, immunology, and policy.
• Coronavirus Vaccines R&D Roadmap (CVR): Launched in February 2023 with funding from the Gates Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation, the CVR aims to accelerate the development of durable, broadly protective coronavirus vaccines suitable for use globally, including in low- and middle-income countries.

Specialized Public Health Programs

CIDRAP manages several critical projects aimed at systemic health improvements:

• Antimicrobial Stewardship Program: This project addresses the global threat of antimicrobial resistance by providing accurate information and building an online community to curtail the problem.
• Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center: A dedicated hub for tracking and analyzing the COVID-19 pandemic, providing deep insights for public health experts, government officials, and the general public.
• Resilient Drug Supply Project: This research focuses on identifying and mitigating global disruptions in the supply chains of life-saving and life-sustaining medicines.

Public Health Alerts

In October 2025, CIDRAP partnered with the New England Journal of Medicine to publish freely available public health alerts. These alerts are designed to provide timely data and outbreak information to fill critical gaps in public health reporting.

Past Initiatives

Ebola Vaccine Team B

Launched in November 2014 with the Wellcome Trust, the Ebola vaccine Team B initiative brought together 25 leaders in public health, medicine, and bioethics to provide a "Team B" analysis of vaccine development. This effort focused on accelerating the development of safe and effective vaccines against the Ebola virus disease through reports on challenges and recommendations for acceleration.