Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute has received $1.5 million to develop an early warning system for flu outbreaks.
The work is made possible by advances in the analysis of large datasets.
The National Library of Medicine funding will support three research teams as they develop tools to predict outbreaks and pandemics, beginning with influenza.
They will first create an accessible online database of viruses and their characteristics nationwide, then develop a map of the U.S. to track them.
The work also will entail looking for viruses at wastewater plants and medical clinics.
Data analysis already has detected more than 3,000 new viruses.
Researchers expect to make the first data publicly available next year.
