Christopher Brooke, PhD

Christopher Brooke, PhD, is a professor of microbiology in the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology and is affiliated with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Research in the Brooke Lab is primarily focused on understanding how heterogeneity and collective interactions within influenza virus populations influence broader patterns of viral evolution and infection outcome. They are also interested in understanding the genetics of influenza virus immune escape and transmission, with the overall goal of improving strategies for universal vaccination.

Tell us briefly about your research project.
We ran a study aimed at rapidly enrolling individuals on campus after they tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, working with collaborators at Johns Hopkins University, University of Massachusetts, Northwestern University, and Carle. The overall goals of the study were to capture a high resolution longitudinal profile of SARS-CoV-2 shedding and symptoms and diagnostic/screening test performance over the course of infection. The study was intense and complex because we were collecting multiple sample types every day from enrolled participants and had multiple data streams from five different institutions that we had to keep track of.

Why did you seek project build services? How did the project build affect what you/your team were able to accomplish? 
We sought project build services because of the complexity and scale of the study and the fact that we were collecting data across numerous institutions. It would have been impossible to maintain the integrity and usability of the data without it. The REDCap project build allowed us to easily manage and share data across multiple institutions in a transparent way.

Have you/your team received research-related training or support from the Illinois REDCap team or other units/resources on campus? If so, how has this support affected what you/your team were able to accomplish?
We were lucky enough to have excellent support and training from Michelle Lore.

What should your colleagues know about Illinois REDCap?
Illinois REDCap is a great way to manage complex datasets, especially as part of large collaborative groups.