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The Legacy of CEIRS

The Legacy of CEIRS

Due to the ever-present threat of an influenza pandemic, the NIAID Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS) program was established to support the research agenda of the HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan. Through this program, NIAID enabled domestic and international influenza surveillance activities, and research in several high priority areas. The overall goal of the CEIRS Network was to provide the information and public health tools needed to control the impact of epidemic influenza and the threat of pandemic influenza. The history and contributions of the CEIRS Network include a wide range of activities and outputs that informed and enabled future research and preparedness efforts. The CEIRS program ended in 2021 and the legacy information here is archived for historical purposes. CEIRS was succeeded by CEIRR, please click here to learn more.

CEIRS program history and accomplishments are illustrated in thematic infographics below. The Infographics detail the history of the program, the research that was conducted, and where the data generated was deposited. Each infographic describes notable aspects of what the CEIRS Network was. The information presented on these Infographics spans the lifetime of the CEIRS program, from 2007 – 2021.

History of CEIRS

This first graphic illustrates how worldwide events since 1997 have influenced the design and evolution of the CEIRS program. Also highlighted are notable contributions of the CEIRS Network to influenza preparedness and response and to the understanding of the complex epidemiology of the virus.

CEIRS 2021

The CEIRS 2021 infographic depicts the composition of the CEIRS program. By integrating surveillance with research and data sharing, the six CEIRS Centers built a unique collaborative and synergistic network of investigators focused on increasing our understanding of influenza viruses. CEIRS investigators from around the globe were dedicated to building the knowledge and infrastructure needed to address the public and animal health burdens of influenza and other respiratory infectious diseases.

CEIRS Animal Kingdom

CEIRS investigators performed sampling in humans and animals that seeded research projects designed to better understand how influenza viruses spread and cause disease. This infographic displays the breadth and depth of influenza sampling performed by CEIRS investigators, across many host species, geographical locations, and environments.

CEIRS Research

For over ten years, CEIRS contributed a vast amount of knowledge to the scientific community through research. The CEIRS Research infographic captures CEIRS research themes and metrics gleaned from the extensive publication history of the program.

CEIRS Network Data Flow

The enormous quantity of scientific data created by CEIRS was shared widely with the broader research community. The mission of the CEIRS Data Processing and Coordinating Center was to ensure the quality and timely distribution of CEIRS scientific data. This infographic shows how the CEIRS data and discoveries flowed from the Network to their many public distribution endpoints.

CEIRS Toolbox

The CEIRS Toolbox infographic describes how CEIRS research activities resulted in the creation of research tools and capacity such as original research reagents, novel vaccines and therapeutics, and the next generation of trained scientists.

CEIRS COVID-19 Response

SARS-CoV-2 was first identified in December 2019. Shortly after, the CEIRS Network published their first COVID-19 related publication. The CEIRS COVID-19 Research Response graphic illustrates the Network's rapid and diverse response to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2.