NoroCORE (https://norocore.ncsu.edu/), the USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative, will be doing a series of posts on notable outcomes from their organization, which was one of the first of its kind for food safety and funded by a $25 million Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) grant in 2011.

NoroCORE has the ultimate goal of reducing the burden of foodborne viruses, particularly norovirus, as it is the most common cause of foodborne illness.

Over the past six years, the Collaborative has grown to include 25 collaborating institutions around the U.S., with a diverse group of 36 principal investigators from academic as well as federal institutions. In addition to joining a network of experts and facilitating opportunities for collaboration, NoroCORE researchers are given access to a reagent exchange program, literature database, and fellowship opportunities for students, all to increase capacity and knowledge now and in the years to come.

NoroCORE has also been unique in how extensively it provides outreach to the public and engages with over 60 stakeholder organizations, which include industries such as food service, food processing, sanitation and hygiene, and public health groups. This helps to communicate and translate new scientific knowledge into real-world applications, and target research to where it is most needed.

One of the most notable breakthroughs to come out of the Collaborative is the recent cultivation of human norovirus in 3D cultures of intestinal cells, which was considered the biggest barrier to norovirus research for almost 50 years. We will be sharing more on this, as well as several other success stories and updates in the coming months.

Please stay tuned for more highlights from our team!

Written by Elizabeth Bradshaw and Lee-Ann Jaykus

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