Virologist Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka will be principal investigator on the project, which will enlist the help on an international team of scientists studying influenza. They will look for mutations in viral proteins that allow avian influenza viruses to bind to human receptors or facilitate efficient replication in human cells.

Identifying mutations could help the research team develop an early warning system that will make it easier to predict the pandemic potential of viruses, according to Kawaoka.