National Science Foundation
COMPASS Center
We are tackling the grand challenge of uncovering the genetic, molecular, cellular, and chemical rules of life underlying virus-host interactions through community-based and ethically grounded research.
Research
We bring together experts from Virginia Tech, Cornell University, the University of Michigan, and Wake Forest University to tackle the grand challenge of uncovering the genetic, molecular, cellular, and chemical rules of life underlying virus-host interactions through community-based and ethically grounded research. These research pioneers will train the innovators of tomorrow, converging around the four thrusts: Jump, Replicate, Persist, and Empower.
Recent News
Pilot Science Festival Flip the Fair event invites visitors to play, learn, judge, and participate in research
What happens when you turn a science fair upside down? At Virginia Tech’s Science Festival last fall, the U.S. National Science Foundation COMPASS Center (Center for COMmunity Empowering Pandemic Prediction and Prevention from Atoms to SocietieS) and the Center for Communicating Science partnered to bring “Flip the Fair” to life on the third floor balcony of the Center for the Arts.
Zohreh Gholizadeh-Siahmazgi: Furthering induced pluripotent stem cell research
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine postdoctoral fellow Zohreh Gholizadeh-Siahmazgi uses induced pluripotent stem cell technology to create mini versions of organs. Her research is described in this story by Virginia Tech student Eli Speechley.
Vasu Gatne: Coding against the next pandemic
Virginia Tech Department of Computer Science graduate student Vasu Gatne explores how Large Language Models can protect us against the next pandemic. Her research is described in this story by Virginia Tech student Maggie Sheridan.
Upcoming Events
2026 Undergraduate Summer Program
Summer 2026
The NSF COMPASS Center—a collaboration of scientists and engineers across Virginia Tech, Cornell University, the University of Michigan, Wake Forest University, Meharry Medical College, and Northern Arizona University—is seeking undergraduates from across the country to join our 2026 Summer Internship Program. Each summer, COMPASS interns bring new ideas, creativity, and energy to our interdisciplinary community. We hope you’ll consider applying to help advance the science—and the workforce—needed to prepare for tomorrow’s pandemics.