COVID-19 Projects and Initiatives

Precision Prenatal Home Visiting to Promote School Readiness via Good Birth Outcomes

LED BY
Anne Duggan

FOCUS
To examine health equity differences in home visitors and prenatal care impacted by COVID-19

TARGET POPULATION
pregnant women

Population, Family and Reproductive Health; community; US-based; health services

Development of Viral Domain as treatment of COVID-19

LED BY
Anthony Leung

FOCUS
To establish a method to screen compounds against a viral domain in order to identify inhibitors for treatment of COVID-19 and other coronavirus infections

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; laboratory

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stocking, pricing, sales, and purchasing in a low-income community grocery store

LED BY
Antonio Trujillo

FOCUS
To study the impact of COVID-19 on prices, stocks and food consumption among low income households

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Vulnerable populations

International Health; observational study; Baltimore; US-based; policy

JHSPH Policy Advisory Board COVID-19 Colombia

LED BY
Antonio Trujillo

FOCUS
To provide policy advise to the Secretary of Health and the COVID-19 Taskforce in Colombia

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Discharged patients, Community members, Healthcare workers, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, Vulnerable populations

International Health; observational study; serology; international; population; health services; modeling; policy

An Implementation Science Approach to Distribute Treatment Fairly and Assess Efficacy under Expanded Access during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

LED BY
Bryan Lau

FOCUS
To conduct a study of the process by which experimental treatments are allocated under expanded access or emergency use authorization (EA/EUA), with the goal of proposing a fair allocation procedure for these experimental treatments when the demand exceeds the supply, and capitalizing on the allocation process to provide rigorous evidence for efficacy and safety

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19

Epidemiology; observational study; US-based; Implementation science; observational study in which estimation of efficacy of treatment is protected from unmeasured confounding

Modeling donor plasma in the larger epidemic: examining strategies of targeting specific populations and supply of convalescent plasma versus development of hyperimmune globulin in order to shift the epidemic curve

LED BY
Bryan Lau

FOCUS
To evaluate strategies of allocation of donor plasma during the COVID-19 pandemic

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Epidemiology; US-based; population; modeling

Economic Impact Model for COVID-19

LED BY
Bryan Patenaude

FOCUS
To develop and test a model designed to estimate the health system economic impact due to COVID-19

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

International Health; US-based; international; modeling; policy; economics

Economic Impact of Forgone Immunization due to COVID-19 in Gavi-Supported Countries

LED BY
Bryan Patenaude

FOCUS
To estimate the economic impact of immunizations that have not been delivered in Gavi-supported countries due to disruptions in delivery and campaigns stemming from COVID-19

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

International Health; international; modeling; economics

COVID prevention in Vietnam

LED BY
Bach Tran

FOCUS
To study COVID-19 preparedness activities in Vietnam

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Healthcare workers

Health Behavior and Society; international

COVID-19 and well-being of substance users

LED BY
Carl Latkin

FOCUS
To conduct a mixed-methods phone survey of the physical and mental health among people who use drugs

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Vulnerable populations

Health Behavior and Society; observational study

Impact of COVID-19 on MSM

LED BY
Carl Latkin

FOCUS
To study the impact of COVID-19 on MSM in Baltimore

TARGET POPULATION
Vulnerable populations

Health Behavior and Society; observational study

Rapid assessment of COVID-19

LED BY
Carl Latkin

FOCUS
To conduct an Mturk longitudinal study of the impact of the pandemic

TARGET POPULATION
General public

Health Behavior and Society; observational study

B cell responses to SARS-CoV-2

LED BY
Diane Griffin

FOCUS
To examine the development, maturation, durability and specificity of the antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 over time among COVID-19 patients with mild and severe disease

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Discharged patients, Healthcare workers, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, Vulnerable populations

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; serology host-pathogenesis; laboratory

COVID-19 and mental health measurement working group

LED BY
Elizabeth Stuart

FOCUS
To obtain measures of mental health though large-scale national and international surveys. There is curently varrious survey data in house (from Pew, USC, Texas, etc.) that will assist with creating research papers related to mental health during the pandemic.

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Mental Health; observational study; epidemiology; US-based; international; population

International Facebook COVID symptom survey

LED BY
Elizabeth Stuart

FOCUS
To engage in a collaborative relationship with Facebook and faculty at the University of Maryland to conduct a large scale national and international survey of COVID symptoms, including 2 core mental health measures will provide access to the data on millions of Facebook users over time, and work with the COVID map team to possibly put some of those measures on the JHU COVID map page.

TARGET POPULATION
General public

Mental Health; observational study; epidemiology; US-based; international; population

COVID-19 Control – A Johns Hopkins University Study

LED BY
Frank Curriero

FOCUS
To use an app designed for individual users to record their temperature and any associated symptoms, which will be used to maps temperature and symptom data geographically and use app-based analytics to identify regional anomalies representing emerging disease outbreaks

TARGET POPULATION
General public

Epidemiology; observational study; epidemiology; US-based; population; Geography

Effect of chronic immunosuppression on severity of illness among individuals hospitalized with COVID-19

LED BY
G. Caleb Alexander

FOCUS
To conduct a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records from a large health system, to be followed by similar analysis using national, multicenter data

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19

Epidemiology; observational study; epidemiology; population; health services

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on access and affordability of prescription medicines in the United States

LED BY
G. Caleb Alexander

FOCUS
To conduct an analysis of monthly data from a pharmacy supply chain characterizing national sales, pricing and distribution, by molecule, from manufacturers to end users

TARGET POPULATION
National audit of pharmacy supply chain

Epidemiology; observational study; US-based; health services; policy

Registered Clinical Trials Assessing Treatments for COVID-19

LED BY
G. Caleb Alexander

FOCUS
To complete a cross-sectional analysis of clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19 that were registered in the United States or contributing to the World Health Organization’s Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTR)

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Epidemiology; randomized trial; observational study; drug trial; international; policy

Safety and efficacy of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of individuals hospitalized with COVID-19

LED BY
G. Caleb Alexander

FOCUS
To analyze the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients using electronic health records from across the country

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19

Epidemiology; observational study; US-based; population

Utilization and Quality of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic

LED BY
G. Caleb Alexander

FOCUS
To analyze the effectiveness of telehealth as compared with face-to-face ambulatory encounters

TARGET POPULATION
Nationally representative sample

Epidemiology; observational study; US-based; health services; policy

Virus-vectored monoclonal antibody gene delivery for immunization against SARS-CoV-2; Rapid creation of mouse models for SARS-CoV-2 research

LED BY
Gary Ketner

FOCUS
To use virus-vectored hACE2 gene delivery to generate mice of diverse genetic backgrounds that can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 for use in immunological studies of pathogenesis, treatment, and prophylaxis

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; genetics/omics; host-pathogenesis; immunotherapy; laboratory; Animal models

An Autism Spectrum Disorder Enriched Risk ECHO Cohort

LED BY
Heather Volk

FOCUS
To assess the impact of COVID-19 on health as part of the Early Childhood Hearing Outreach (ECHO) initiative using a COVID-19 related questionnaire

TARGET POPULATION
This study follows up members of the EARLI cohort

Mental Health; epidemiology; US-based

Host lipid uptake by microbes

LED BY
Isabelle Coppens

FOCUS
To conduct a study of the host cell lipids required by enveloped viruses like Cov-2 egress, and how virus salvages would interfere with the virus lifecycle

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; laboratory; host-Cov2 interactions at the cellular level

Assessing Physical Activity and Sleeping Patterns During the COVID-19 Pandemic in PASOS

LED BY
Jennifer Schrack, Kunihiro Matsushita

FOCUS
To collect wrist-worn accelerometry data on several hundred participants of the Study of Latinos/PASOS study in NY and SD to understand the effects of COVID-19 and social distancing measures on physical activity, sleep and stress/fatigue levels

TARGET POPULATION
Participants of the Study of Latinos will be contacted for enrollment

Epidemiology; observational study; population

NA-ACCORD Supplement: Supporting the establishment of clinic-based COVID-19 cohort studies

LED BY
Keri Althoff

FOCUS
To support the establishment of COVID-19 cohort studies using electronic health record data and survey data.

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Discharged patients, Community members, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19

Epidemiology; observational study; Baltimore; US-based; laboratory; population; health services

SARS-Cov-2 antibodies in specimens from people in motor vehicle crashes and victims of other trauma in five US cities from October 2019 to March 2020

LED BY
Keri Althoff

FOCUS
To identify SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies in blood specimens from those sustaining serious injuries in 5 cities (4 states) from October 2019-March 2020

TARGET POPULATION
Biospecimens are from a study population recruited for non-COVID-19 aims

Epidemiology; observational study; serology; Baltimore; US-based; laboratory; population

Cytokine Storm and Severe COVID-19 Disease Progression: Identification of Vulnerable Subgroups from Baseline Biomarker Data

LED BY
Karen Bandeen-Roche

FOCUS
To characterize inflammatory trajectories among patients treated for COVID-19 in outpatient, inpatient and ICU settings in the JHH health system, characterize subgroups of patients by their biomarker profiles upon first COVID-19-driven contact with the health system, and evaluate whether disease course varies by baseline biomarker profile subgroups

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients

Biostatistics; observational study; Baltimore; US-based; population

Assessing COVID-19 knowledge and practices among formal and informal primary care providers in India

LED BY
Krishna Rao

FOCUS
To study the experience and capacity of primary care providers in Bihar, India with the goal of understanding how well primary care providers are informed about COVID-19 and management practices. The research will be used to inform government action in Bihar.

TARGET POPULATION
Healthcare workers

International Health; observational study; international; health services; policy

Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) Grant for in vitro methods for research on COVID-19

LED BY
Thomas Hartung

FOCUS
To restructure the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) grant to be responsive to the COVID-19 challenge

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing; international; laboratory; modeling

COVID-19 case fatality ratio: curation, variation and homogeneity

LED BY
Li Liu

FOCUS
To study and describe the COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate

TARGET POPULATION
Secondary data

Population, Family and Reproductive Health; epidemiology; community; US-based; international; population; modeling

COVID-19 CFR among institutionalized populations

LED BY
Li Liu

FOCUS
To study and describe the COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate among institutionalized populations

TARGET POPULATION
Secondary data

Population, Family and Reproductive Health; epidemiology; community; US-based; international; population; modeling

COVID-19 Antibody Testing of Patients with ESRD

LED BY
Mara McAdams DeMarco

FOCUS
To use a test developed to detect COVID-19 antibodies in human blood within 15 minutes in a population of patients with End Stage Renal Disease. A questionnaire will be sent assessing COVID-19 symptoms, risk factors, treatments, and the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 that will help compare rates of antibody positivitiy between older and younger patients as well as frail and nonfrail patients.

TARGET POPULATION
Patients undergoing dialysis

Epidemiology; observational study

Public health evaluation of an online social connection and crisis intervention program for veterans

LED BY
Alain Labrique

FOCUS
To examine the efficacy of a community-developed online crisis intervention program for veterans

TARGET POPULATION
Vulnerable populations

International Health; observational study; epidemiology; community; population; health services; Internet; video games; veterans; military; digital health; online communities; suicide prevention; mental health stigma

COVID-19 Action Info Guide

LED BY
Youseph Yazdi

FOCUS
To create a COVID-19 action guide based upon reliable and actionable information, updating regularly based upon user feedback

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Center for Bioengineering, Innovation and Design; international; health services; Digital health practice; evidence development

Transit in a Time of COVID-19

LED BY
Tara Sell

FOCUS
To determine best practices around maintaining public transit during the COVID-19 epidemic

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Environmental Health and Engineering; Center for Health Security; community; Baltimore; US-based; international; population; policy

A Multicenter, Adaptive, Randomized Controlled Trial of the Safety and Efficacy of Investigational Therapeutics for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Adults

LED BY
Noreen Hynes

FOCUS
To conduct a randomized controlled trial designed to identify safe and effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of COVID-19 patients

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients

International Health; School of Medicine (Infectious Diseases); randomized trial; drug trial; international

COVID-19 & Humanitarian

LED BY
Paul Spiegel

FOCUS
To use a website developed with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Center for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action to document and share context-specific field experiences in humanitarian settings

TARGET POPULATION
Healthcare workers

International Health; community; international; health services

COVID-19: Projecting the impact in Rohingya refugee camps and beyond

LED BY
Shaun Truelove

FOCUS
To provide expertise and assistance in the conduct of the analysis and planning pertinent to the current nCoV outbreak in order to assist public health officials in decision making, preparedness, and response

TARGET POPULATION
Vulnerable populations

Epidemiology; International Health; modeling

Host Genetics and COVID-19

LED BY
Priya Duggal

FOCUS
To evaluate the role of host genetics on the pathogenesis of COVID-19 to understand differences in severity of disease, and correlations with immune and inflammatory markers

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients Discharged patients, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, Household members of positive cases

Epidemiology; School of Medicine; serology; genetics/omics; host-pathogenesis; population

Understanding and mitigating real-time differential gendered effects of the COVID-19 outbreak

LED BY
Kelley Lee

FOCUS
To document and analyze gender impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Healthcare workers, Vulnerable populations

Simon Fraser University; international; Gender and sex differences; social science

Comparative assessment of digital platforms for COVID-19 response in LMICs

LED BY
Smisha Agarwal

FOCUS
To conduct an assessment of existing digital platforms that can be rapidly scaled up to support contact tracing and surveillance for COVID-19. The assessment will support decisions of donors and policymakers in low- and middle-income countries for developing an effective response to COVID-19

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

International Health; community; international; health services; policy

COVID-19 Informational Bot

LED BY
Smisha Agarwal

FOCUS
To collaborate with Whiting School of Engineering on the development of a chatbot that can be hosted on a variety of websites and social media portals to answer COVID-19 related questions, counter misinformation, and reinforce facts

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

International Health; US-based; international; modeling

Support for Health Care Workers and Direct Services Staff

LED BY
Tener Veneema

FOCUS
To understand the current mental health and social support needs of Johns Hopkins Health Care and Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI) employees

TARGET POPULATION
Healthcare workers, family members of healthcare workers

School of Nursing; Baltimore; health services

Panel study of behaviors and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi

LED BY
Stephane Helleringer

FOCUS
To conduct a 6-month follow-up of approximately 800 men and women previously enrolled in a mortality survey in Northern Malawi to assess the impact of COVID-19 on health behavior and mortality

TARGET POPULATION
Community members

Population, Family and Reproductive Health; observational study; international; population

Deployment of convalescent plasma for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19

LED BY
Arturo Casadevall

FOCUS
To contribute to broader serology efforts by setting up ELISAs for testing sera for IgM, IgG, and IgA responses specific to the full-length spike (S) protein and soluble receptor binding domain (sRBD) of S and to provide antibody titer information

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Discharged patients, Community members, Healthcare workers, Vulnerable populations

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; observational study; serology; genetics/omics; diagnostics; laboratory

Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance

LED BY
Andrew Pekosz, Richard Rothman

FOCUS
To analyze data generated by the Klein Lab using antigen, monoclonal antibodies, and sera as part of surveillance efforts lead by the Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence in Influenza Research and Surveillance. Analyses of ELISA data will be correlated with neutralizing antibody titers from assays performed by Professor Andrew Pekosz.

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Discharged patients, Community members, Healthcare workers, Vulnerable populations

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; observational study; serology; genetics/omics; diagnostics; laboratory

Specialized Center of Research Excellence on Sex Differences

LED BY
Sabra Klein

FOCUS
To study the immunological, virological, and transcriptional factors associated with greater severity of COVID-19 in men than women in an elderly, residential population as an administrative supplement to the Specialized Center of Research Excellence on Sex Differences (SADII SCORE)

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Discharged patients, Community members, Healthcare workers, Vulnerable populations

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; observational study; serology; genetics/omics; diagnostics; laboratory

Neurotropy of SARS-2-CoV

LED BY
Thomas Hartung

FOCUS
To study the impact of COVID-19 infection on mini-brains, submitting applications to NIAID for a 3D tissue virus research center and to NIEHS to study neurotoxicants as cofactors

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

Environmental Health and Engineering; Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; host-pathogenesis; laboratory; modeling

Susceptibility of cigarette-smoke exposed and COPD epithelia to SARS-CoV-2

LED BY
Venkataramana Sidhaye

FOCUS
To conduct a study to determine if the disruption in epithelial integrity increases susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

School of Medicine (Medicine); host-pathogenesis; laboratory

Impacts of Urban Rats and Rodent Control on Public Health and Urban Wildlife Conservation

LED BY
Maureen Murray

FOCUS
To add a survey to a planned research study evaluating human-rat interactions in urban environments which will test the hypothesis that rat encounters within neighborhoods and households may increase as a result of the COVID stay at home orders and that perceptions of the potential of infectious disease transmission via human-animal interactions may increase use of poisons or have a negative impact on mental health or wildlife attitudes.

TARGET POPULATION
Community members

Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago; observational study; community; US-based

RAPID‐Baltimore: A mobile application for rapid access to infectious disease information for Baltimore

LED BY
Daniela Rodriguez

FOCUS
To develop a human‐centered web‐based platform that bridges the gap between online resources and marginalized communities, Rapid Access to Infections Disease Information for Baltimore (RAPID-Baltimore), by linking Spanish‐speaking residents of Baltimore City with a one‐stop shop featuring the most up‐to‐date information on COVID‐19, including health, school closures, and food distribution.

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, General public

International Health; community; Baltimore; US-based; population; health services; technology

Estimating the size of high-risk individuals for COVID-19 mortality and serious illness across 500 US cities

LED BY
Nilanjan Chatterjee

FOCUS
To estimate number of individuals who are at elevated and high risks for COVID-19 serious illness and mortality across a large number of US cities using data from a large variety of sources and to expand these efforts through work with PAHO/WHO to provide similar estimates for other countries

TARGET POPULATION
General public

Biostatistics; observational study; epidemiology; US-based; international; modeling; policy

Community Collaboration to Combat COVID-19 (C-FORWARD)

LED BY
Shruti Metha, Jason Farley, Jacky Jennings

FOCUS
To enroll a population-based cohort study of Baltimore City households to characterize the prevalence and incidence of COVID-19 in the community and the associated clinical, social, and economic consequences. The target population will include English- and Spanish-speaking families residing in Baltimore City households (N=238,436). We propose to enroll ~1,300 households in Baltimore City recruited through a household index member. We will use a multi-stage approach with 1) systematic selection of 105 of 486 census block groups (CBGs) with probabilities proportional to the estimated number of occupied households; 2) stratification of CBGs into six strata defined by socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity with oversampling of CBGs with harder-to-reach populations (e.g., low-income whites, Latinos); 3) random selection of residential addresses within each of the strata; and finally 4) screening of households selected for eligibility (e.g., occupied vs. not, English/Spanish speaking). All household participants will be asked to complete surveys and in-person visits for biospecimen collection at baseline and 12 months. Participants will also receive automated calls/texts with weekly symptom checks and monthly assessment surveys; reporting of a specific profile of symptoms may trigger an additional unplanned study visit.

TARGET POPULATION
Community Members

observational study; serology; epidemiology; community; Baltimore

COVID-19-Related Youth Mentoring– An Examination of How Mentors are Interacting with Youth Mentees during the Pandemic

LED BY
Michelle Kaufman

FOCUS
To better understand youth mentoring practice and health communication during an acute health emergency. The findings of this study will provide valuable data regarding how supportive adults (i.e., “mentors”) communicate with youth about emerging health concerns, particularly during social isolation.

TARGET POPULATION
General Public

observational study; epidemiology; US-based; international; modeling; policy

eCR Now - Electronic Case Reporting for COVID-19

LED BY
John Loonsk

FOCUS
To operationalize the automated identification of reportable health events in electronic health records and their transmission to state and local public health authorities for review and action nationwide

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

epidemiology; public health informatics

Gender and social, economic, and safety impact of COVID-19 among youth in LMICs

LED BY
Michele Decker

FOCUS
To perform mixed methods research with young men and women as well as key stakeholders to understand social, economic, and safety impacts of COVID-19 mitigation measures, risk perception, and gender differences therein

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, general public

observational study; epidemiology; international

National Health and Aging Trends Study COVID-19 Supplement

LED BY
Judith Kasper

FOCUS
To conduct a survey by mail of NHATS participants (65+) on effects of COVID on daily life and follow-up survey to persons who helped most during COVID. Covers COVID symptoms and behaviors; effects of stay-at-home; comparisons before and during COVID for activities, finances, health care, well-being. Helper survey covers similar topics. Linkable to NHATS annual interviews. De-identified data will be available to researchers on NHATS website in 2021. Instruments can be viewed at https://micda.isr.umich.edu/research/covid-19/

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Pregnant and recently pregnant women

observational study; epidemiology; community; international; population

Quantifying the Digital Disparities in Youth Telemental Health Need, Access and Impact

LED BY
Holly Wilcox

FOCUS
To link data from multiple sources in Maryland to 1) identify predictors of youth suicide by race/ethnicity and 2) study access to and continuity of mental health services before and during COVID-19 among youth by race/ethnicity

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Discharged patients, Community members, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, Vulnerable populations, General public

observational study; epidemiology; community; Baltimore; population; health services; modeling; policy; telemedicine; telemental health

Regulation of cell death by SARS-CoV-2 proteins

LED BY
J. Marie Hardwick

FOCUS
To understand virus-host cell interactions modulated by SARS-CoV-2 proteins that inhibit and/or promote induction of cell death pathways

TARGET POPULATION
N/A: Study does not involve human subjects

laboratory

Responsible Science Communication in Times of a Global Pandemic

LED BY
Gundula Bosch

FOCUS
To collaborate with community partners to produce a series of online (mobile-device compatible) modules that will provide accessible tools and training units to help champion challenging communications in the context of COVID19-related topics. Project participants will work together to develop and apply competencies that help explain ambiguities in COVID-19 related news, rationally yet compassionately correct misconceptions, and dismantle logical fallacies, conspiracy theories or even intentional falsehoods.

This educational community engagement project includes a significant research component as we will develop an evaluation scheme for assessing the effectiveness of advanced communication practices in a community setting and look into long-term outcomes in terms of ethical standards in science communication.

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Students, The human subject research- related component of this work will only take place at a later stage of this study (earliest in late 2021). The development and internal testing of the training modules mentioned above will not require IRB approval.

observational study; community; Baltimore; US-based; international; effective communication; ethics; community engagement; educational research

RISE network survey during COVID-19

LED BY
Albert Wu

FOCUS
To survey a network of hospitals that have implemented the JHU RISE peer support program to investigate adaption related to COVID response

TARGET POPULATION
Directors of hospital staff support programs

survey

Sex differences and the cytokine storm associated with COVID-19 mortality

LED BY
Fenna Sillé

FOCUS
To determine the molecular drivers of the sex differences observed in SARS-CoV-2 disease pathogenesis, with a special emphasis on X-linked gene expression and the innate cytokine storm driven by respiratory epithelial cells and to assess the value of immunosuppressant use to mitigate the cytokine storm during SARS-CoV-2 infection across the sexes. We hypothesize that the upregulation of sex-linked genes contributes to a more protective antiviral response in females during the early phases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, compared to males who rather develop a lethal cytokine storm. We further hypothesize that this sex-specific detrimental cytokine storm can be mitigated with immunostimulants targeting the early phases of epithelial-driven antiviral response and immunotherapies targeting instrumental proteins and pathways that trigger the cytokine storm. To test these hypotheses, we will pursue the following aims: Aim 1: Determine the sex-specific differences in gene expression and cytokine/chemokine responses in vitro in broncho-epithelial cells upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Aim 2: Establish the relative efficacy of a variety of immune-suppressive therapies to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection severity in male vs. female broncho-epithelial cells in vitro

TARGET POPULATION
Study includes uninfected de-identified cells from commercial sources

host-pathogenesis; immunotherapy; laboratory

COVID Among Prisoners, Detainees, and Undocumented Migrants

LED BY
Chris Beyrer

PROJECT TEAM
Leonard Rubenstein, Gabe Eber, Kathleen Page

FOCUS
To conduct policy work and advocacy on COVID-19 among prisoners, detainees, and undocumented migrants

TARGET POPULATION
Vulnerable populations, Prisoners and detainees

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
ACLU of Maryland, Federal Defenders, Refugees International, Physicians for Human Rights

International Health; Epidemiology; School of Medicine; epidemiology; community; Baltimore; US-based; policy

COVID in Jails and Prisons

LED BY
Leonard Rubenstein

PROJECT TEAM
Carolyn Sufrin, Chris Beyer, Gabe Eber

FOCUS
To address issues related to COVID-19 in jails and prisons

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, Policy makers, Community based organizations, General public, Vulnerable populations

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
ACLU, State's Attorney Baltimore

Epidemiology; Health Behavior and Society; community; Baltimore; population; policy; prisoners

COVID and UV Light

LED BY
David H. Sliney

PROJECT TEAM
N/A

FOCUS
To organize the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists webinar on Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation to control COVID-19 and other biological aerosols

TARGET POPULATION
Healthcare workers, Industrial Hygienists and Infection Control Audience

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)

Environmental Health and Engineering; US-based; PPE; hospital infection control

Reopening Baltimore

LED BY
Keshia Pollack Porter

PROJECT TEAM
Aisha Dickerson, Yeeli Mui, Shima Hamidi, Megan Latshaw, Josh Sharfstein

FOCUS
To work with the Mayor's Neighborhood Commercial District Reopening Initiative to develop and implement designs to reconfigure public right of way and public spaces to maximize outdoor seating and other business needs, as Baltimore begins to re-open

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, General public, workers

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Baltimore Development Corporation

Health Policy and Management; Epidemiology; International Health; Environmental Health and Engineering; Health Policy and Management; community; Baltimore; population; policy; built environment

COVID Modeling

LED BY
Krishna Rao

PROJECT TEAM
David Bishai

FOCUS
To support/advise CARE-India in COVID-19 modeling

TARGET POPULATION
Policy makers

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
CARE-India, BMGF

Population, Family and Reproductive Health; modeling

Health Communication and Education

LED BY
Carl Latkin

PROJECT TEAM
Lauren Dayton

FOCUS
To develop health communication and education materials for Baltimore

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Vulnerable populations

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
City Health Dept, community organizations

Health Behavior and Society; Baltimore

COVID and UV Light

LED BY
David H. Sliney

PROJECT TEAM
N/A

FOCUS
To organize a webinar and a report on Germicidal Ultraviolet

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Healthcare workers, Policy makers, Hospital engineering community

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Illuminating Engineering Society, New York, NY

Environmental Health and Engineering; US-based; international; health services; PPE; aerosol disinfection

Attacks against Health Workers

LED BY
Leonard Rubenstein

PROJECT TEAM
Andrea Wirtz

FOCUS
To track violence against health workers in connection with COVID-19

TARGET POPULATION
Healthcare workers, Policy makers, General public

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Insecurity Insight, IntraHealth International

Epidemiology; international; population; health services; policy; violence

Humanitarian Aid

LED BY
Paul Spiegel

PROJECT TEAM
N/A

FOCUS
To create/host weekly COVID-19 humanitarian webinars in conjunction with READY project, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Center for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action

TARGET POPULATION
Vulnerable populations

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
LSTMH, CERAH (Geneva)

International Health; population

Epidemiology

LED BY
Tolbert Nyenswah

PROJECT TEAM
Brandon Howard

FOCUS
To examine what the Ebola outbreak in West Africa can teach about COVID-19

TARGET POPULATION
Students, Policy makers, General public

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
N/A

International Health; Baltimore; US-based; international; population; policy

COVID Modeling

LED BY
Elizabeth Stuart

PROJECT TEAM
N/A

FOCUS
To communicate COVID-19 modeling efforts to the general public and to encourage collaboration between academic fields

TARGET POPULATION
Policy makers, General public, Non public health researchers

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
N/A

Mental Health; health services; modeling; policy

Mental Health

LED BY
Michelle Colder Carras

PROJECT TEAM
N/A

FOCUS
To develop a weekly stream on Twitch about topics related to COVID-19 and mental health

TARGET POPULATION
Community based organizations, General public, Vulnerable populations, Veteran and military members of the Stack Up online community, their supporters, and the general public

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Stack Up

International Health; community; international; Digital health; mental health; Internet; online communities; evidence development; misinformation; infodemic; live streaming

Curating COVID-related Publications

LED BY
Emily Gurley

PROJECT TEAM
Kate Grabowski

FOCUS
To rapidly curate and assess emerging research on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, we prioritize original, high-quality research for public health action and papers receiving significant attention, regardless of quality

TARGET POPULATION
Health care workers, Policymakers, Community-based organizations, General public

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Imperial College of London, Boston University, University of Florida, Harvard University, USN ONR Global Singapore, Epidemiology, Pathology

Diagnostics; Epidemiology; US-based; International; Laboratory; Population; Health services; Modeling; Policy; Ecology and spillover; Pharmaceutical Interventions; non-pharmaceutical interventions; Vaccine; Clinical presentation; Prognostic risk factors

Automated Reporting

LED BY
John Loonsk

PROJECT TEAM
N/A

FOCUS
To operationalize the automated identification of reportable health events in electronic health records and their transmission to state and local public health authorities for review and action.

TARGET POPULATION
Hospitalized patients, Healthcare workers, Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, Policy makers, Community based organizations

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
CDC, CSTE, APHL, Health Policy and Management, Center for Population Health Information Technology

Epidemiology; Population; Public heath informatics

Healthcare Worker Peer Support

LED BY
Albert Wu

PROJECT TEAM
Cheryl Connors, David Norvell

FOCUS
To provide peer support to health workers experiencing emotional distress during COVID-19 at JHM

TARGET POPULATION
Healthcare workers

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Health Policy and Management,  Armstrong Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Spiritual Care, Johns Hopkins Hospital

Staff support; Peer support

Accessing Home Care Services in Spain

LED BY
Vicente Navarro

PROJECT TEAM
N/A

FOCUS
To advise the Vice Presidency for Social Affairs of the Spanish Government on: (1) Universalizing the right of access of Spanish families to child care centers (0-3 years) and home care services for persons with dependencies, in the pandemic and post-pandemic period. The advising includes analyzing the needs, the resources, the management and the funding of such services. (2) The adaptation of the Spanish development of the UN 2030 Agenda to the new social situation created by the pandemic (objective by objective).

TARGET POPULATION
Policy makers, General public

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Vice Presidency for Social Affairs of the Spanish Government, Health Policy and Management, The JHU-UPF Public Policy Center in Barcelona, Spain

Community; International; Population; Policy; Post-pandemic

Community Education

LED BY
Gundula Bosch

PROJECT TEAM
Brian Klaas, Brian Simpson, Ilinca Ciubotariu

FOCUS
To collaborate with community partners to produce a series of online (mobile-device compatible) modules that will provide accessible tools and training units to help champion challenging communications in the context of COVID19-related topics. Project participants will work together to develop and apply competencies that help explain ambiguities in COVID-19 related news, rationally yet compassionately correct misconceptions, and dismantle logical fallacies, conspiracy theories or even intentional falsehoods. This educational community engagement project includes a significant research component as we will develop an evaluation scheme for assessing the effectiveness of advanced communication practices in a community setting and look into long-term outcomes in terms of ethical standards in science communication. 

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Students

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Communications

Observational study; Community; Baltimore; US-based; International; Effective communication; Ethics; Community engagement; Educational research

Distribution of Supplies through  Community Based Organizations

LED BY
Albert Wu

PROJECT TEAM
Christine Weston, Lee Boone, Romsai Boonyasai, Vadim Dukhanin, Lindsay Hebert

FOCUS
To provide food, personal protective equipment, household goods to people in East Baltimore through local Community Based Organizations, Church and Neighborhood Association that are members of Baltimore CONNECT

TARGET POPULATION
Community members, Community based organizations, Vulnerable populations

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Baltimore CONNECT Inc (501c3), Health Policy and Management, Health Behavior and Society, General Internal Medicine

Community; Baltimore; PPE; Food