What to know
Since 2020, CDC has issued 43 awards as part of the Sequencing for Public Health Emergency Response, Epidemiology, and Surveillance (SPHERES) Initiative. These awards are intended to fill knowledge gaps and promote innovation in the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding awards are determined through a competitive selection process based on scientific needs and available funds. The AMD program has spent the last eight years investing in the latest next-generation genomic sequencing technologies. It now also has some of the greatest bioinformatics and epidemiology expertise across CDC and the nation. These awards fund innovative research and collaborative projects to support advancements in public health.