The Mount Sinai Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VARPP) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai integrates basic and translational research to prevent, treat, and cure viral infections.
This interdisciplinary Center, co-directed by Florian Krammer, PHD, and Viviana Simon, MD, PhD expands the existing infrastructure built by the Personalized Virology Initiative, hosts longitudinal observational biobanking studies designed to study the immune responses mounted by people with viral infections and/or after receiving vaccinations.
Dr. Simon and Dr. Krammer have a proven track record of successful collaboration, as shown by several joint grants and many co-authored publications. Dr. Krammer is listed on several patent applications for novel vaccines, and both Dr. Krammer and Dr. Simon are listed on the patent application for the Mount Sinai COVID Antibody assay.
The Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness aims to amplify and accelerate the translational impact of the cutting-edge virology research performed at Icahn Mount Sinai.
Its mission is to transform our understanding of how specific vaccines work and how to use this knowledge to guide development for new vaccines or therapeutics. The Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness synergizes with existing clinical research operations and interfaces with regulatory offices to strengthen Icahn Mount Sinai as a key site for evaluating therapeutics and vaccines in humans. The Center works with The Mount Sinai Hospital to optimize access to research for interested patients and partners with clinical experts in the Mount Sinai Health System. We leverage modern technologies to improve efficiencies in clinical research by implementing strategies including e-consenting, virtual visits, and real-time research dashboarding and data visualization.
Our ongoing translational studies are conducted by a diverse group of highly motivated staff and include diverse and vulnerable patient populations. The Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness aims to further research participant inclusion and engagement through novel methods including participant exclusive study webinars, community-based outreach, and more.