Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick

National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

The Integrated Research Facility - Frederick (IRF-Frederick) plays a central role in the U.S. Government’s high-containment research on emerging infectious diseases. In FY2025, the IRF-Frederick provided limited support for COVID-19 research and initiated multiple research studies focused on agents requiring a maximum containment research environment. In addition, post-life analysis of data collected during previous studies has been ongoing. COVID-19 in vivo research included completion of data analysis and manuscript preparation/submission for COVID-19 hamster studies including analyses of host lung transcriptomes after exposure to 10 different SARS-CoV-2 variants and continued support of NIAID Division of Clinical Research clinical trials evaluating intravenous immunoglobulin as a treatment option for COVID In FY2025, the IRF-Frederick initiated a series of studies supporting evaluation of a Nipah virus (NiV) vaccine that was developed by colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control. This product has shown excellent protection in a series of studies including in studies evaluating delayed treatment with very low doses of product. The IRF-Frederick, in collaborative studies with an industry partner, continued evaluation of a small molecule therapeutic for Lassa virus (LASV) infection in the guinea pig model. This product has shown remarkable protective efficacy at very low doses. This project has facilitated advancement of this antiviral toward clinical efficacy trials to be started in late 2025. The IRF also initiated a collaboration with the NIAID Vaccine Research Center to establish a model for Eastern equine encephalitis virus. The IRF-Frederick has continued development of unique advanced medical and pre-clinical imaging capabilities. The imaging team, in collaboration with CIDI partners, has implemented robust analysis workflows to quantify the PET signal in NHP lungs, brain, vasculature, and immune organs and has adapted clinically validated methods to extract quantitative data from morphological and functional brain MRI scans in NHPs. These approaches continue to be improved with more advanced artificial intelligence (AI) approaches implemented to assist with data analysis. In FY2025, as part of IRF-Frederick’s implementation of a multi-year Imaging Equipment Upgrade Plan, a new MR Solutions pre-clinical MRI system was acquired and will be installed in FY26. In FY2025 the IRF-Frederick advanced its organ-chip capability, focusing on the implementation and optimization of liver- and brain-chip protocols within BSL-2 and BSL-4 for filovirus and alphavirus studies. Other in vitro projects performed in FY2025 include continued development of an EBOV reporter construct for a project aimed at establishing a transgenic mouse model for in vivo virus tracking using optical imaging and projects focused on evaluating regulation of virus infection using multiple viruses. In addition, the IRF-Frederick drug screening team continued to test a range of compounds for potential efficacy against multiple high consequence viruses. In FY 2025 the Genomics team at the IRF-Frederick continued to expand their capabilities with development of sequencing process and analysis workflows for an increasing number of viruses, and implementation of transcriptomic and single cell sequencing studies using material collected during in vivo studies. The IRF-Frederick Clinical Study Support Team (CSST) provided diagnostic and research support for 10 clinical protocols, using IRF-Frederick on-site resources and staff deployments to OCONUS sites. CSST staff engaged with OCONUS partners for training and capability-building activities in Guinea, Liberia, and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Importantly, the CSST assumed responsibility as the primary lead of the laboratory diagnostics functional group for the Pamoja Tulinde Maisha (PALM) 007: Mpox Randomized Clinical Trial. Six new projects were initiated in FY2025. The IRF-Frederick is engaged in 72 active projects, supporting 70 collaborative partnerships.