
Scripps Research collaborates with The Rockefeller Foundation on digital COVID-19 surveillance, pandemic preparedness A grant from the New York-based foundation will fuel expansion of DETECT, Scripps Research's sensor-based study for real-time digital detection of viral illness.
June 14, 2021
LA JOLLA, CA Scientists at the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center are collaborating with The Rockefeller Foundation to expand efforts to create a sensor-based early warning system for COVID-19 and other viral outbreaks. Efforts will center on expanding and refining Scripps Research's ongoing DETECT study, which has already enrolled more than 38,000 participants across the United States.
Bolstered by a new grant from The Rockefeller Foundation, the DETECT team will expand outreach efforts to further increase participation, with a primary focus on underrepresented and high-risk communities across San Diego County.
The scientists also received support in the form of computing credits from the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Diagnostic Development Initiative.
The app-based DETECT study, launched in March 2020, uses sensor data from smartwatches and activity trackers of consenting participants to gain new insights into physiological and behavioral changes associated with viral illness and more recently, physiological response to vaccines. The team's goal is to detect COVID-19 or other illnesses before symptoms appear.
A larger and more diverse pool of participants will allow us to refine and validate our predictive model for identifying viral illness activity, including COVID-19 and seasonal flu, based on changes in heart rate, sleep and activity, says Jennifer Radin, PhD, the Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) epidemiologist leading the study. By targeting our efforts in San Diego, where we've already enrolled over 3,000 local participants, we hope to scale to a level where we can track population-level viral illness in real-time in a geographically defined area.
An early analysis of DETECT data, published last fall in Nature Medicine, showed that the information captured by wearable devices can significantly improve scientists' ability to identify infections, compared with relying on reported symptoms alone.
The Scripps Research team hopes the approach can eventually supplement traditional disease-surveillance methods which often rely on data from healthcare institutions and testing facilities to identify outbreaks faster and with greater geographic accuracy. This would enable public health officials to contain deadly viruses more quickly.
An innovative collaboration
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists at Scripps Research have collaborated with their peers at The Rockefeller Foundation in New York to respond to the many challenges that have emerged.
Eric Topol, MD, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, contributed to The Rockefeller Foundation's National COVID-19 Testing Action Plan, as well as an updated version of the report. Topol and Kristian Andersen, PhD, director of Infectious Disease Genomics at SRTI, also provided their expertise for the Foundation's national disease surveillance plan, which calls for using genomic technologies and other sophisticated tools to detect and track viral threats.
When it comes to preparing for and responding to disease outbreaks, the need for innovation has been clear even before the COVID-19 pandemic, says Rick Bright, PhD, senior vice president of Pandemic Prevention and Response at The Rockefeller Foundation. We envision a federated global early warning system that considers a variety of data streams from genomic sequencing and wastewater surveillance to cell phone mobility and wearable sensors and can produce insights that can be used to stop disease outbreaks in their first 100 days.
Keeping an eye on viral threats
In addition to helping public health officials in the United States improve their response to outbreaks, the team envisions a use for the approach in other parts of the world.
While the development of highly effective vaccines in record time has provided many countries a powerful tool for reining in COVID-19, the global situation remains dire. In many areas, vaccines are not accessible, and the virus continues to spread uncontrolled, raising the risk that dangerous new variants will emerge.
Wearable sensor-based technologies can help, allowing public health officials to identify outbreaks of COVID-19, the seasonal flu or the next novel virus of pandemic potential. They also can help track physiological response to vaccines and treatments.
After validating the sensor-based virus surveillance model in San Diego, the team plans to roll it out more broadly, with an emphasis on regions with limited capacity for traditional disease surveillance methods.
We are delighted to continue our collaboration with The Rockefeller Foundation and grateful for the support from AWS, Topol says. We look forward to taking DETECT and digital disease surveillance to the next level.
The Scripps Research Digital Trials Center leads groundbreaking studies that address the world's most pressing health concerns. As pioneers of the site-less clinical trial, the center leverage rapidly evolving digital health technologies to re-engineer the clinical trial experience around the participant, rather than the research site.
Enrollment in DETECT is open to anyone over the age of 18 in the United States. To learn more, visit detectstudy.org.
COVID-19 Translational Institute Radin, Jennifer
North America Stories
15/07/2025
L3Harris put its CORVUS-RAVEN counter-small UAS capability into the hands of soldiers at VANAHEIM, showcasing its ability to provide passive signal detect, enha...
15/07/2025
Netflix Viewing Up 13.5% vs. May, Represents 42% of Monthly Gain for Streaming
...
15/07/2025
SAN FRANCISCO and BENGALARU, India Sangeeta Chakraborty has been named chief revenue officer at Amagi, a cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology pro...
15/07/2025
As part of its mandate, the Advanced Television Systems Committee the U.S. organization tasked with developing advanced broadcast TV standards promotes ATSC 3.0...
15/07/2025
QuickLink, the leading global provider of multi-camera video productions and remote contributions, announces the launch of two innovative control panels Studi...
15/07/2025
Chris Kontopanos has joined leading high-quality microphone solutions manufacturer, DPA Microphones, as the company's new Regional Sales Manager for the Mid...
15/07/2025
Magnifi by VideoVerse, a global leader in AI-powered video automation, has launched a major platform upgrade built to simplify live and archival video editing f...
15/07/2025
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, will preview its latest innovations at IBC2025, Stand 7.B21. This year's showcase highlights how...
15/07/2025
IBC2025 is set to transform the onsite experience for its global attendees with the launch of a pioneering new feature: full integration of Amsterdam's GVB ...
15/07/2025
Music, sport and technology collided in spectacular fashion as ASB GlassFloor powered the debut of Beats N Buckets, Germany's first Basketball meets Hip-Ho...
15/07/2025
The Collectv, the Emmy award-winning broadcast solutions and workflows consultancy - and winner of Broadcast Tech's Team of the Year is delighted to announc...
15/07/2025
SipRadius, the expert in secure, low latency media transport, will showcase how broadcasters and media companies can take control of fragmented IP workflows at ...
15/07/2025
Appear, the global leader in live production technology, today announced its strategic partnership with beIN ASIA PACIFIC, a leading multi-platform sports media...
15/07/2025
Company marks 15 years of innovation at the show
Broadpeak, a leader in streaming and monetization at scale, will return to IBC (Hall 1, Stand F83. RAI, Amster...
15/07/2025
New software solutions extend trusted timing measurement across broadcast, venue, and professional AV applications
Hitomi Broadcast, the market leader in audi...
15/07/2025
SHENZHEN, China Telycam has added control options for its portfolio of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras with a new plug-in for Elgato's Stream Deck family of con...
15/07/2025
MELVILLE, N.Y. Chyron said its Chyron LIVE cloud-native live production solution has successfully completed the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Foundational Technical...
15/07/2025
PHILADELPHIA The Xumo streaming platform joint venture between Comcast and Charter has announced the nationwide launch of a new line of Xumo TVs from Westinghou...
15/07/2025
LONGMONT, Colo. DPA Microphones said Chris Kontopanos has joined the microphone solutions provider as its new regional sales manager, Mid-Atlantic....
15/07/2025
News Corp Authorizes New $1 Billion Stock Repurchase Program and Intends to Acce...
15/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Announces the Start of Production of Los secretos de l...
15/07/2025
Submissions for NVIDIA's Plug and Play: Project G-Assist Plug-In Hackathon a...
14/07/2025
The Royal Moroccan Air Force hosted a C-130 award ceremony with L3Harris Technologies President of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Jason Lambert a...
14/07/2025
UK launch set for September, following on from recent US and Germany releases
London - UK, July 14, 2025 - Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, da...
14/07/2025
SHENZHEN, China Telycam has added control options for its portfolio of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras with a new plug-in for Elgato's Stream Deck family of con...
14/07/2025
The awards are open to IBC2025 show exhibitors and offer a valuable platform for companies to raise awareness for the new products and solutions they will be la...
14/07/2025
Clear-Com is excited to announce a significant expansion of the award-winning Arcadia Central Station with new software updates. Together, these releases dram...
14/07/2025
Grass Valley and Daktronics today announced a strategic technology partnership that unites Grass Valley's live production expertise with Daktronics' lea...
14/07/2025
Cloud playout solutions provider, Veset, and swXtch.io, provider of cloud-based multicast and reliable networking solutions, are partnering to deliver multicast...
14/07/2025
Tintri , a DDN subsidiary and leader in AI-powered data management solutions, today announces a game-changing and award-winning refresh to its global Partner P...
14/07/2025
HighField AI, the broadcast industry's first agentic and multimodal AI platform for automating graphics production, is now commercially available. Developed...
14/07/2025
Encompass Digital Media has today announced that it has been delivering a complex global services project for DAZN, the world s leading sports entertainment pla...
14/07/2025
MASV (massive.io), the fastest, most reliable large file transfer platform trusted by over 10,000 global organizations, announced today it will showcase its nex...
14/07/2025
Calrec is introducing a series of usability, customisation and system enhancements across the entire range of Argo consoles at IBC 2025, on Stand 8.C47. Look ou...
14/07/2025
Fincons Group, IT business consultancy and systems integrator company with more than 40 years of experience in the market, is proud to announce a new engagement...
14/07/2025
Intinor returns to IBC to present the latest updates to its Direkt series. A key development on show is Intinor Direkt Management (IDM), a web-based interface f...
14/07/2025
Back to All News
Trailer Out Now! Netflix and YRF Entertainment's Mandala ...
14/07/2025
Back to All News
25 Former Athletes Seek Redemption in Final Draft,' Japan...
14/07/2025
This month, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang promoted AI in both Washington, D.C. and Beijing - emphasizing the benefits that AI will bring to business and s...
14/07/2025
Sony's New Coach's Headset Was Designed in Collaboration With the NFL Featuring a custom dynamic boom mic, the headset will debut in the fall By Dan Da...
14/07/2025
Live From MLB All-Star 2025: MLB Network's Marc Caiafa and Tom Guidice on th...
14/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix ISP Speed Index for June 2025
Product
14 July 2025
Global
Link copied to clipboard
One percent of Internet Service Providers (ISP...
14/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Begins Filming The Map of Longing With Al cia Falc , P...
14/07/2025
This July marks 100 days since I officially stepped into the role of CEO at Grass Valley, a milestone not of abrupt change, but of confident continuity.
Unlike...
13/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Expands B&B Universe' with Yu Jae Seok's B&B ...
13/07/2025
Live From MLB All-Star 2025: MLB Network Marks Five Straight Years of Onsite MLB...
12/07/2025
Ryan Coogler accepting the 2013 Vanguard Award. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez.
Editor's Note: In honor of Fruitvale Station s 12th anniversary, we're d...
12/07/2025
Key Code Education, the professional training division of Key Code Media, proudly announces a major update to its Adobe Premiere Pro Engineering and Advanced Op...
12/07/2025
Key Code Education, a leader in instructor-led post production training for over...
12/07/2025
As the death toll continues to mount, with at least 120 killed and more than 170 people still missing on July 10 from devastating Texas floods, a number of broa...