Selected highlights of past and current projects

Exploring the critical role of public places (schools, health care settings, and mass transit networks) in airborne transmission of infectious microorganisms in Kunshan China                                                                                                                                                                                                                Funding agency: Kunshan Government,  PI/Co-PI: Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China,  Status: Ongoing

Farmers training on swine disease detection and reporting                                                                                                                                                              Funding agency: MSD Animal Health, China, PI/Co-PI: Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China; Gao Di MSD Animal Health China, Status: Ongoing

Molecular detection of Incursions of Novel Coronaviruses on Swine Farms - A One Health Oriented Study Funding agency: WHO, PI/Co-PI: Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China, Status: Ongoing

Influenza virus next generation sequencing and analysis                                                                                                                                                                  Funding agency: Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou, China, PI/Co-PI: Yuntao Liu, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou, China, Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China; Gao Di MSD Animal Health China, Status: Ongoing

Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analysis of Feline respiratory viruses in China                                                                                                          Funding agency: Kunshan Government, PI/Co-PI: Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China; DKU UG students (Semin Kim, Yixi Cheng, Zhenkun Fang), Status: Ongoing

Molecular Detection of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Screening of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes                                                                                Funding agency: Kunshan Government, PI/Co-PI: Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China; Master student: Sophia Keve, Status: Ongoing

Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic analysis of canine pathogens                                                                                                                                      Funding agency: Hou Tu Research Grant, PI/Co-PI: Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China; Rong Yuan, Wuhan University, China; Benjamin Anderson, University of Florida, USA, Status: Completed

Epidemiological study and mechanism exploration of adenovirus infection in elderly patients with pneumonia (16KCNID020). This project has been published in the BMC Infectious Diseases (2021). Read the full text here  Funding agency: Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou, China, PI/Co-PI: Yuntao Liu, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine Guangzhou, China; Benjamin Anderson, University of Florida, USA; Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China, Status: Completed

Metagenomic Analysis of Endemic Viruses in Oral Secretions from Chinese Pigs. This project has been published in the Veterinary Medicine and Science (2022). Read the full text here Funding agency: NIH/NIAID grant R01AI108993-01A1, PI/Co-PI: Gregory Gray, Duke University NC, USA; Benjamin Anderson, Duke Kunshan University, China; Sajid Umar, Duke Kunshan University China, Status: Completed

I strongly believe in collaborative research work. The field of emerging infectious diseases is very complex and requires strong networks that can foster collaboration at the local, national, and global levels.