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Developing VENUS: Virtual Epidemiological Networks for Understanding STIs

Award Number: K01AI202902
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/07/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2030

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Developing VENUS: Virtual Epidemiological Networks for Understanding STIs - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This is a K01 award for Dr. Marcy Ekanayake-Weber, a biological anthropologist with expertise in agent- based modeling at the University at Albany, State University of New York. Dr. Ekanayake-Weber is an early- career investigator seeking to expand her specialization in public health modeling to include data collection and community engagement. This award will provide Dr. Ekanayake-Weber with the support to accomplish the following career development objectives: (1) to develop proficiency in data collection techniques including community-based group model building; (2) to establish an independent research agenda using behavioral data and modeling to address public health challenges; (3) to become competitive for R-level funding with a proposal focused on syndemics of behavioral health and infectious disease. To meet these objectives, Dr. Ekanayake-Weber has assembled a mentoring team that includes primary mentor Dr. Melissa Tracy, an expert in agent-based modeling of health behaviors and complex behavioral decision-making at the University at Albany, co-mentor Dr. Reza Yaesoubi at UCSF, an expert in STI modeling and health economics, and two additional members of the mentoring team: Dr. Yonatan Grad at Harvard, a specialist in STI epidemiology and genomic surveillance; and Dr. Lawrence Schell at the University at Albany, a pioneer in community-based health research. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis continue to flourish in the United States despite available treatments. Current STI models rely on oversimplified assumptions about sexual behavior and fail to capture individual-level variation that drives transmission patterns. This project will develop a community-informed agent-based model (ABM) incorporating realistic behavioral data to improve STI intervention planning in the New York State Capital Region. In Aim 1, Dr. Ekanayake-Weber will characterize variation in sexual behavior and networks using a combination of survey data and community- based group model building workshops. In Aim 2, she will develop a flexible ABM framework of STIs calibrated with empirical data on behavior and disease burden. Aim 3 will use the ABM to project long-term impacts of interventions and develop an interactive dashboard enabling local public health professionals to compare strategies. The career development plan includes formal coursework in community-based public health and program evaluation, specialized training in group model building, and systematic mentoring. This research will establish the foundation for an R01 application on syndemics modeling to be submitted in the final year of the K01 award.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $120,596 )
2026	2026	RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE	1400 WASHINGTON AVE	ALBANY	NY	12222	ALBANY	USA	Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research	000	1	8/12/2026	NEW	$120,596
														Subtotal = $120,596

Grand Total All Awards = $120,596

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Developing VENUS: Virtual Epidemiological Networks for Understanding STIs

Award Number: K01AI202902

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/07/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2030

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