The Tufts COVID-19 Research Cluster supports a thriving research community focused on changing the course of this pandemic and the next.  The research community includes over 250 faculty and staff from across Tufts’ schools and institutions: School of Medicine, School of Engineering, School of Arts and Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and a broad representation from the Tufts Medical Center departments ranging from prenatal to palliative care.  In July 2020, a representative 12-member COVID-19 Research Steering Committee was appointed to design meetings and events to bring the group together and advise on development of the full Research Group.  The Group is facilitated and supported by the Strategic Initiatives team of the OVPR.

Transdisciplinary in approach, the Tufts COVID-19 research interests take on the complex matrix of issues emerging from the spread of the virus.  The unique interconnectedness of the different schools within Tufts allows this research to actively draw on and contribute leading expertise in diverse fields, including biomedical, clinical, communications, economics, environmental, policy, public health, and sociological perspectives.  The research community is particularly interested in incorporating issues of equity in the local and global context to ensure meaningful impact on the multifactorial aspects of pandemics.

Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center collaboratively funded Rapid Response and Phase 2 research projects.  In addition the OVPR funded projects related to COVID-19 through its Springboard program in Spring and Fall of 2020.

COVID-19 Research Leadership and Members

The COVID-19 Research Steering Committee and Members include representatives from Schools, Centers, and key administrative offices across Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center.

Please email COVID19Research@tufts.edu if you are interested in becoming a member of the Research Cluster.

Seed Funding

The Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University COVID-19 Seed Funding Program is intended to support innovative research relevant to the multifactorial aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Partners

Tufts COVID-19 researchers have demonstrated strengths in the six major areas related to COVID-19/emerging pathogens research and is a member of the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness (MassCPR).