ASU launches NSF-funded APPEX Center to advance pandemic science through collaboration

Arizona State University hosted the official launch of the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Pandemic Expansion, or APPEX, on Friday, May 1, at the West Valley campus, convening researchers, university leaders and national partners to explore the future of pandemic science.

Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, APPEX aims to transform how scientists understand, predict and respond to global disease threats through a highly interdisciplinary approach. The event highlighted the center’s research priorities, introduced APPEX’s vision and mission, and provided an overview of its people, approach and focus areas, along with opportunities for collaboration across ASU and beyond.

APPEX is led by Nina H. Fefferman, professor and director of ASU’s School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences. She has been awarded $18 million from the National Science Foundation to study the complex conditions that lead to pandemics, focusing on identifying the “perfect storm” of factors that drive disease spread.

“We are launching the APPEX Center, one of four NSF-funded pandemic science centers across the country, and we’re excited to bring it to the West Valley campus,” Fefferman said. She also expressed her appreciation for the APPEX leadership team: Deputy Director Ivy Worsham; Associate Directors Lydia Bourouiba, K. Selcuk Candan, Sadie Ryan and Shelby Wilson; as well as Elizabeth Strand and Su Chen Tan, whose dedication and collaborative efforts have been instrumental in bringing the center to life.

She emphasized that no single discipline can address pandemic challenges alone.

“Medicine treats individuals. Epidemiology models populations. Ecology helps us understand environmental interactions. Human behavior shapes outcomes,” she said. “It’s bringing all of these together that allows us to understand what happens in the real world.”

University leadership highlighted APPEX as a natural extension of ASU’s existing research ecosystem.

“It’s really exciting for ASU to have this center because it can leverage everything we’ve been building,” said Lara Ferry, vice president and President’s Professor in ASU's Knowledge Enterprise. “It brings together efforts from Decision Theater, the Health Observatory, wastewater surveillance teams and researchers across Biodesign and multiple colleges.”

“It’s a really great moment to bring people together,” she added.

Ferry also pointed to the center’s rapid progress and national relevance.

“Even in its short existence, the center already has a strong portfolio of publications and conference proceedings,” she said. “They’re helping revolutionize how technology is applied to pandemic preparedness, with tools that are already being used in practice.”

As part of a broader NSF network of pandemic centers, APPEX contributes to research spanning the full lifecycle of disease outbreaks.

“They’re thinking across the entire spectrum, from root causes to spread and containment and leveraging tools like AI to move the field forward,” Ferry said.

A defining feature of APPEX is its use of mathematical modeling to simulate outbreaks, evaluate interventions and improve preparedness strategies, shifting from reactive responses to proactive planning.

In addition to research, the center prioritizes education and community engagement.

“We have members of the public, undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, faculty and practitioners involved,” Fefferman said. “We also do outreach to K-12 education. Really, anyone should have a role with us.”

Ferry emphasized the value of this approach for student success.

“This creates meaningful opportunities for students to engage in interdisciplinary research alongside faculty,” she said. “Students from a wide range of degree programs can connect to this work and contribute in impactful ways.”

Beyond ASU, APPEX is positioned to address pressing health challenges across Arizona.

“This is an important moment for the state,” Ferry said. “We’re facing significant health disparities across regions, from rural to metropolitan communities.”

She noted that many of these challenges follow patterns similar to pandemics.

“We see health conditions that spread through populations in ways that mirror pandemics,” she said. “This work can help us better understand those patterns and respond more effectively.”

Ferry also emphasized the center’s potential to empower communities.

“It’s about providing insights and tools so individuals, not just scientists, can access information and take greater control over their health outcomes,” she said.

The launch marks the beginning of a long-term effort to reshape how pandemic research is conducted and applied. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, education and innovation, APPEX aims to build a more proactive and connected approach to global health challenges.