The MIDAS is a research partnership between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the scientific community to develop computational models for policymakers, public health workers, and researchers to help them make better-informed decisions about emerging infectious diseases-both man made and naturally occurring. The MIDAS researchers are working to develop models that can assist the public health community understand how best to respond during outbreaks and epidemics. The MIDAS consists of seven research groups and one centralized informatics group.