SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease has awarded the University of Notre Dame a $2.3 million contract to fund VectorBase.

The funding from an arm of the National Institutes of Health is used to manage genomic information on arthropods and other invertebrates that transmit human pathogens. The government has an option to continue the contract at Notre Dame through 2019 at a total cost of $14.7 million.

VectorBase makes accessible the genomes and related information on vectors, insects, ticks, flies and other invertebrates known to transmit diseases to humans. The site is primarily a resource that provides assistance to scientists. 

VectorBase now includes 35 genomes of vectors that transmit diseases including malaria, dengue fever and Lyme disease. It has been based at Notre Dame since 2004.