Current Projects

Outbreak Observatory

Center staff and trusted, vetted colleagues with relevant expertise collaborated with frontline public health officials to document operational challenges, successes, and lessons from outbreak and epidemic responses in the US and abroad. The absence of dedicated mechanisms to identify, document, and disseminate operational challenges associated with outbreak response can result in a failure to consistently collect and analyze valuable, ephemeral data that are crucial for improving outbreak response and resource planning. By capturing and analyzing these data, Outbreak Observatory grew the evidence base pertaining to the health, socioeconomic, and political implications of outbreaks and epidemics and the operational challenges and requirements associated with preventing, detecting, and responding to emerging communicable disease threats.

The project team collaborated with local practitioners involved in outbreak response to co-author analyses of lessons to fill gaps in existing health security literature, with a principal focus on the operational aspects of outbreak response. Outbreak Observatory shared key takeaways broadly with practitioners, policymakers, and the public—including via peer-reviewed literature—to support efforts to strengthen health security preparedness and response in their own communities.

Project dates: February 2017 — March 2022

Project team lead: Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH

Project team: Carolina Andrada, BA; Divya Hosangadi, MSPH; Noelle Huhn, MSPH; Christopher Hurtado, MHS; Elena Martin, MPH; Diane Meyer, RN, MPH; Lucia Mullen, MPH; Christina Potter, MSPH; Matthew Shearer, MPH; Michael Snyder, MALD; Marc Trotochaud, MSPH

Project supported by: Open Philanthropy Project