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Global health R&D delivers for West Virginia

US government investment in global health R&D has delivered

Amount
$3.3 million
to West Virginia research institutions
West Virginia's top USG-funded global health R&D institutions

West Virginia's top USG-funded global health R&D institutions

West Virginia University Research Corporation
$2.3 million
Marshall University
$635 thousand
West Virginia University
$310 thousand

West Virginia's top areas of global health R&D by USG funding

35.8%
COVID-19
5.8%
Diarrheal diseases
58.4%
Neglected tropical diseases
Kinetoplastid diseases
Global health R&D at work in West Virginia

Researchers at West Virginia University are studying how the parasite that causes sleeping sickness interacts with the tsetse fly, whose bite spreads the disease. Though the number of cases of sleeping sickness has dropped in recent years, the disease still poses a threat to millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. The researchers aim to understand why some tsetse flies carry the disease while others do not. Their theory is that the gut bacteria in the flies affect whether the parasite survives in the fly and crosses over to humans and livestock, causing death, disability, and a heavy economic burden. A better understanding of the relationship between the fly and the parasite could open exciting new avenues for disease control.

Footnotes
  • Methodology
  • US government global health R&D investment (total to state, top funded institutions, top health areas): Authors’ analysis of USG investment data from the G-FINDER survey following identification of state location of funding recipients. Reflects funding for basic research and product development for neglected diseases from 2007 to 2022, for emerging infectious diseases from 2014–2022, and sexual and reproductive health issues from 2018 to 2022. Funding to US government agencies reflects self-funding and/or transfers from other agencies. Some industry data is anonymized and aggregated. See methodology for additional details.
  • *Organization appears to be closed/out of business.
  • Neglected and emerging diseases: Reflects US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for: Chikungunya virus cases 2014–2022, Dengue virus infection cases 2010-2021, HIV diagnoses 2008–2022, Malaria cases 2007–2022, Mpox cases 2022–March 29, 2023, Tuberculosis cases 2007–2021, Viral hemorrhagic fever cases 2007-2022, and Zika virus disease cases 2015–2021.
  • Case study photo: Dean Calma/IAEA