The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health has been chosen as one of seven schools nationally that is being funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers.

Pitt will receive $8.4 million over the next five years, or about $1.7 million annually, to develop methods to evaluate emergency response plans and "best practices" to handle public health emergencies caused by the spread of infectious diseases, defective water and sewage systems, natural disasters or intentional acts.

The funding from the CDC's Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response will pay for project implementation and design, salaries and investigator training. The seven schools will evaluate the structure, capabilities and performance of public health systems for preparedness and emergency response activities.

"We know the difference between a poor response and an effective one based on actual outcomes, but we know much less about the underlying reasons why some plans work well and others fail," Maggie Potter, the grant's principal investigator and associate dean and director of the Pitt's Center for Public Health Practice, said in a release.

Ms. Potter and her team will focus initially on infectious diseases, like the flu, to develop criteria for emergency preparedness, model their effectiveness using sophisticated computer-based techniques and develop new standards for emergency responses. The center also will focus on emergency preparedness in vulnerable communities -- those that typically lack access to resources and services.

"We know from research and experiences like Hurricane Katrina that race, ethnicity, poverty, disability, age and other factors that affect health status during routine times put individuals and families at greater risk during an emergency," said Sandra Quinn, grant co-principal investigator and associate dean of student affairs and education at Pitt's Graduate School of Public Health.

"Our research will help public health systems be more effective at protecting diverse communities," she said.