The NSF has awarded a $6.1 million Biology Integration Institute (BII) grant to a UA team consisting of Dr. Ceballos (PI), Dr. Evans-White (coPI), and Dr. Zhang (coPI) to develop a Host-Virus Evolutionary Dynamics Institute (HVEDI) dedicated to research in virology and virus ecology. Partner institutions include the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (coPI-Dr. Buckner), the University of Maine (coPI-Dr. Tan), La Universidad Interamericana de Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (coPI-Dr. Padilla), and Ouachita Baptist University (coPI-Dr. Reyna). In addition to cutting-edge research in virology and virus ecology, HVEDI will contribute to UA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals by offering research training to faculty, students, and staff from other minority-serving institutions across the nation. The institute will contribute to Human Resources at UA by hiring three postdoctoral scholars, one program administrative manager/coordinator, two technicians, and by supporting multiple graduate students over the five-year period of funding.
