The C.A.T.C.H. the Virus study is ending.

Our related study, the StopCOVID UMD STUDY, is accepting participants at go.umd.edu/stopcovid.

Go there to learn more!

Latest News

Follow us for all the latest news and updates at the CATCH blog

The CATCH Study morphs into the StopCOVID study!

This program known as CATCH is ending, but there’s still quite a bit more work to be done! Go to our new study StopCOVID UMD at https://go.umd.edu/stopcovid.... Read more ...

The CATCH Study Will Go On!

The C.A.T.C.H. Study will continue. Although spring break will be extended and classes will move on-line, the research team will be here and the lab and clinic will be open. Read more ...

More information about coronavirus testing

Dr. Milton answers some questions about the CDC's coronavirus test kit and our government's response to the outbreak. Read more in Maryland Today...

A note about coronaviruses

The common coronavirus is common — on average 17% of students get it every year. The novel coronavirus is, well, novel and far away. You probably heard the news about the 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that started in Wuhan late last year. Well, so far there’s none of that here...
Read more...

Quartz News - Feature on the CATCH study and the G-II machine


Watch video at Facebook

Flu season is here!

After a refreshing break for the holidays, CATCH is back and ready to see participants! The 2018-2019 flu season is gearing up, with the CDC reporting high to moderate flu activity for the Maryland/DC/Virginia area as of the end of the week of December 22, 2018. Read more...

Adenoviruses on campus

While respiratory infections are common on college campuses, especially as the winter sets in and finals begin, a recent outbreak of Adenovirus on the University of Maryland campus has caused some concern. Read more...

91 Baseline Visits and counting

As of 4:30 pm Monday December 10, we have collected baseline samples from 91 people and 254 have completed the baseline survey. If you did the survey already but haven’t given samples, you can still come give samples before you leave for winter break and receive up to $60. Read more...

Off to a Great Start!

The study is up and running! This is our second week open and there has already been a huge turnout in clinic! Read more...

UMD Public Health Research Day 2018

Our undergraduate research assistants presented posters at UMD's Public Health Research Day on April 3, 2018, at the Stamp Student Union. You can see the posters here. Check out our facebook posts for photos and more!

CATCH Interview with Grace


Watch video on Youtube

University of Maryland study: Simply breathing can spread flu virus WJLA

The University of Maryland recently published results of a study that found the flu virus spreads even easier than previously thought....
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Device collects, analyzes how breath transmits flu virus CBS

New research shows the deadly flu virus spreads more easily than previously thought. Researchers at the University of Maryland have created a one-of-a-kind device that collects virus samples from your breath...
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Become an Undergraduate Research Assistant and help us CATCH the Virus!

In addition to the number of ways you can help out the CATCH the Virus Study as a study participant, we also need students to serve as clinical or laboratory Research Assistants (RAs)...
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UMD scientists are trying to figure out why dorms are so contagious

University of Maryland scientists are conducting a study to identify what makes people contagious and how to stop the spread of disease on the campus. The study will focus on students living in university dorms...
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Researchers Investigate How Flu and Colds Spread, and How to Predict Them

It’s almost 70 degrees on a pleasant spring day, but in a lab at the School of Public Health, Maria Pozo ’19 huddles in a sweater and puffy vest and hacks out a percussive series of coughs...
Read more

About

Welcome to C.A.T.C.H. (Characterizing And Tracking College Health) the Virus Study! Our goal is to figure out what makes people contagious, so we can prevent the spread of disease. With an improved understanding of what contributes to and impacts contagiousness, we may better prepare for – and possibly prevent – future outbreaks of influenza or other acute respiratory infections!

Acute respiratory infections (like the common cold or the flu) have been detrimental to civilizations for centuries. While research has come a long way, the annual influenza epidemic persists – indicating the need for improved understanding of viral transmission. The C.A.T.C.H. the Virus Study is designed to investigate ARI contagiousness and to help make our communities healthier.

You don't need to be sick to participate, and if you sign up you could earn up to $70/month!

The study will last through the Spring Semester 2020. If you're at least 18 years old, a UMD affiliate (student, faculty, staff) or someone who lives within a short distance of the UMD College Park campus, then you may be eligible to be a part of our study. You will be able to fill out a survey and give us snot and other samples, identify contacts like roommates or housemates or anyone you might infect.

If you are a contact of someone with colds or flu who filled out a survey and gave samples, and you live in one of the Cambridge residence halls, you may be able to enroll in follow-up to see if you catch the virus.

Maybe the best part is we'll pay you every time you come in to see us -whether you've caught something, or if someone names you as a close contact.

If you are interested, you can join the research team later this year and learn about how we do this research.

We really need your help to make this work! By participating, you're helping to make great scientific advances that could help create healthier dorms and buildings for everyone.

Contact us at 4242-GOTFLU (424-246-8358) or catch@umd.edu. We hope to meet you soon!

Don Milton, MD, DrPH Professor, School of Public Health and
the C.A.T.C.H. the Virus Study research team

Learn about what we did in the first year of the project (Spring 2017): Summary of Year 1 (GotFlu)

Meet The Team

Donald Milton

Dr. Donald Milton

Dr. Milton earned a BS in Chemistry from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (Cum Laude), an MD from Johns Hopkins University and a DrPH (Environmental Health) from Harvard University. He is currently Professor, Maryland Institute for Applied... Learn More

Dr. Barbara Albert

Dr. Barbara Albert

M.D., M.S, Barbara Albert received her medical degree from Pennsylvania State University and completed residency training and a Master's Degree (MPH equivalent) in Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine... Learn More

Rhonda Washington - Lewis

Rhonda Washington - Lewis

Rhonda's career in healthcare started over 20yrs ago with the Department of Defense working at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) department as a Medical Technician. She assisted in research being conducted with soldiers who... Learn More

Dr. Sanmi Adenaiye

Dr. Oluwasanmi (Sanmi) Adenaiye

Dr. Oluwasanmi Adenaiye earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MD Equiv.) from the College of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. As a clinical research assistant in the department of Chemical Pathology of University College... Learn More

Dr. Somayeh Youssefi

Dr. Somayeh Youssefi

Dr. Somayeh Youssefi earned her BS and MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tehran, Iran, and earned her PhD in Environmental Engineering from Drexel University. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at School of Public Health in... Learn More

Dr. Sheldon Tai

Dr. Sheldon Tai

Dr. Sheldon Tai is a postdoctoral associate at University of Maryland's School of Public Health. He completed formal veterinary training at National Taiwan University, and earned his PhD in comparative medicine and integrative biology at Michigan State... Learn More

Jacob Bueno de Mesquita

Jacob Bueno de Mesquita

Hailing from Kingston, RI, Jacob completed his undergraduate degree in Human Science with a Certificate in Global Health at Georgetown University. Upon graduating he joined CDC as a Public Health Associate, fulfilling a two-year field... Learn More

Dr. Jennifer German

Dr. Jennifer German

Dr. Jennifer German earned her BS in Genetic Engineering from Cedar Crest College, and earned her PhD in Biology from University of Maryland, College Park. Her graduate work focused on the innate immune response to... Learn More

Dr. Jelena Srebric

Dr. Jelena Srebric

Dr. Jelena Srebric is Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Cluster for SustainabilITY in the Built Environment at the University of Maryland (CITY@UMD). For the C.A.T.C.H. study she and her team will be... Learn More

Dr. Ashok Agrawala

Dr. Ashok Agrawala

Dr. Ashok Agrawala is Professor in the University of Maryland Department of Computer Science at College Park and Director of the Maryland Information and Network Dynamics (MIND) Lab. For C.A.T.C.H., he and... Learn More

Dr. Matthew Frieman

Dr. Matthew Frieman

Dr. Matthew Frieman is an Associate Professor in The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Maryland School of Medicine. He earned a BA in Biology from Washington University... Learn More

Dr. Todd Treangen

Dr. Todd Treangen

Dr. Todd Treangen is a Research Scientist in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) and faculty member in the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CBCB)... Learn More

Dr. Emmanuel Mongodin

Dr. Emmanuel Mongodin

Dr. Emmanuel Mongodin is Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (SOM) and the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS)... Learn More

Dr. Shuo Chen

Dr. Shuo Chen

Dr. Shuo Chen is Associate Professor of Biostatics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering at the Harbin Institue of Technology (China), his M.S. in Mathematics and... Learn More

Dr. Filbert Hong

Dr. Filbert Hong

Filbert had left the world of scientific research but has since come back. For more than ten years he was Director of Artistic Operations for the National Philharmonic (based at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD)... Learn More

Dr. Amelia Arria

Dr. Amelia Arria

Dr. Amelia M. Arria, Ph.D. is currently the Director of the Center on Young Adult Health and Development and the Office of Planning and Evaluation at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, and an Associate Professor... Learn More

Dr. Adam Porter

Dr. Adam Porter

Dr. Adam Porter is Professor at the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, and Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Center for Experimental Software Engineering. His research has focused... Learn More

Dr. Sandro Fouche

Dr. Sandro Fouche

Dr. Sandro Fouche is Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Towson University, and a Systems Architect with the Fraunhofer Center for Experimental Software Engineering.... Learn More

Dr. Chengsheng Jiang

Dr. Chengsheng Jiang

Dr. Chengsheng Jiang is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. He has experience in GIS, spatial statistics, spatial sampling design, data analysis, data mining... Learn More

Consent Forms

You must be 18 or older to participate in this study.
The consent forms listed here will be updated soon!

Consent for Cohort Participation

Participate in the baseline questionnaire.

Download PDF

Consent for Baseline Sample and Case Screening Participation

Consent to come to the clinic to give blood and swab samples at the Baseline Sample Visit, and swab samples if you report flu-like symptoms.

Download PDF

Consent for Contact Participation

You can also participate in the study if you are named as a contact of a self-reported case.

Download PDF

Consent for Location-Tracking App Participation

If you join the Cohort and report an illness, or enroll as a contact, you can participate in the location tracking app portion of the study.

Download PDF

Consent for Wearable Device Participation

Participants who have enrolled in the Cohort and given a Baseline Sample will also be asked to participate in the wearable device portion of the study.

Download PDF

By enrolling in the study, using a wearable device (such as a Biobeat Watch or Spire Health Tags) and uploading the data, and responding to daily symptom surveys you can earn up to $70 per month! You'll need to have come in to the clinic for a sample visit.

Please go HERE to view the Frequently Asked Questions document!