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At IDRI, our mission is to translate science into global health solutions. We develop vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutic products that address the world's most neglected infectious diseases.
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Infectious Disease Research Institute Receives Grant for Acquisition of Core Research Equipment from M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Seattle, WA | October 19, 2007
The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), a Seattle-based non-profit
scientific research institute, recently received a $252,000 grant from the M.J.
Murdock Charitable Trust for core research equipment.
The Murdock Trust grant will enable IDRI to assemble an equipment core to
enhance its basic research on immune responses against infectious diseases.
IDRI's mission is to research and develop technologies to be used against
diseases that continue to burden individuals and countries in the developing
world.
IDRI projects enabled under the Murdock grant are focused on chronic infections
resulting in leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, trachoma, Buruli ulcer, leprosy, and
Chagas disease. Together, these diseases present major public health burdens
and cause premature death or disability.
Targeted Diseases
Leishmaniasis, transmitted by the bite of a sandfly and caused by Leishmania
infection, is endemic in 88 countries. Approximately 15 million new cases of
leishmaniasis occur each year. Visceral leishmaniasis, which causes damage to
internal organs, is often fatal if left untreated.
Tuberculosis is a worldwide health problem. Caused by Mycobacterium
tuberculosis infection, every fifteen seconds someone in the developing world dies
of tuberculosis.
Leprosy is endemic in areas of Indian, Brazil, Philippines, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and Tanzania. It is caused
by Mycobacterium leprae infection.
Chagas disease, caused by Typanosoma cruzi infection, is endemic in 21
countries in Latin America. It is estimated that 18 million people are affected by
this chronic inflammatory disease, which affects the heart and digestive tract and
in some cases results in death.
Malaria, a major parasitic disease, is particularly devastating to children in Africa.
New Equipment and Uses
The Murdock Trust core equipment grant will enable IDRI to purchase large
equipment that is difficult to obtain with conventional research grant funding. Once
implemented, the equipment core will enable IDRI's researchers to engage in
high-throughput and state-of-the-art assays. Expanding IDRI's basic research
equipment core will facilitate the investigation of pathogen-induced immune
responses and will help identify new treatment strategies for target infections.
"We are confident we can effectively use this generous grant from the Murdock
Trust to perform much needed research about diseases that plague so many
millions of people around the world," says Steve Reed, Founder and Head of
Research and Development of IDRI.
About IDRI
The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) is a Seattle-based not-for-profit organization committed to applying innovative science to the research and development of products to prevent, detect, and treat infectious diseases of poverty. By integrating capabilities, including early stage drug discovery, preclinical testing, manufacturing, and clinical trials, IDRI strives to create an efficient pathway bringing scientific innovation from the laboratory to the people who need it most. For more information, visit www.idri.org.
IDRI contact:
Erik Iverson | 206.518.6280 | media@idri.org
About M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
The M.J. Murdock Charitable trust was established in 1975 by the late Melvin J.
(Jack) Murdock, who co-founded Tektronix, Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon, and
resided in Vancouver, Washington. The mission of the Murdock Charitable
Trust is to enrich the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest by providing grants
to organizations that seek to strengthen the region's educational and cultural
base in creative and sustainable ways. Although the major funding interests are
education and scientific research, grants are also given to a wide variety of
organizations, including those that serve the arts, public affairs, health and
medicine, human services, and people with disabilities.
The Murdock Charitable Trust has focused its grant-making efforts in the
following five states of the Pacific Northwest: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon,
and Washington. Beyond grant-making and investment, the Murdock Charitable
Trust functions to convene groups of people to discuss issues of mutual
interest. This practice is of great assistance to the Murdock Charitable Trust in
exploring ways of responding to new grant-making opportunities consistent with
its mission and, in addition, promotes a sharing of ideas and networking among
participants.
For more information, see: www.murdock-trust.org.
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