Dear Colleagues,
 
A new Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) is now available: Mathematical modeling of policy options for evolving public health challenges (MPOPHC), a joint NSF-CDC funding opportunity. Mathematical modeling can further the public welfare and national security in many ways, notable among them by increasing understanding of biological phenomena and elucidating matters affecting the success of public health measures to prevent or mitigate infectious diseases. The CDC also has an interest in promoting research to strengthen modeling for the prevention and control of disease, disability, and death through immunization.
 
This DCL encourages the submission of research projects aimed at mathematical modeling of the transmission of respiratory pathogens among human hosts, the most likely cause of future pandemics, with a focus on policy options for evolving public health challenges. This joint activity will provide support to multidisciplinary teams that work on increasing the quality of mechanistic models capable of evaluating the merits of alternative policies for mitigating public health threats. Proposers are encouraged to explore a wide range of innovations that address various aspects of this challenge and to use different modeling techniques.
 
An informational webinar will be held on Thursday, May 16, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET. 

Register in advance for this webinar: https://nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_5hEAZozkR0yq4jWOR917jw
 
The submission deadline is June 20, 2024. Questions about the MPOPHC activity should be directed to zfeng@nsf.gov.The submission deadline is June 20, 2024. Questions about the MPOPHC activity should be directed to zfeng@nsf.gov.
 
Zhilan Feng
Program Director
Division of Mathematical Sciences
National Science Foundation