Epidemiology/Modeling

The overall goal of the Epidemiology/Modeling Theme Area involves inter-disciplinary, inter-agency, and international collaborations to conduct: (1) zoonotic and emerging animal disease transmission research that will guide US national policy and emergency response; and (2) focused international epidemiological field studies that will guide surveillance for emerging threat agents and diagnostic test evaluations; and (3) conduct prevention/intervention evaluations to determine and reduce the threat of foreign animal diseases to the United States. A long term transitional goal will be to produce easy-to-use modeling interfaces as interactive planning tools for national policy makers.

Current Projects

Department of Homeland Security Funded Projects

  • Development of a Biosurveillance and Simulation Tool Interoperability Network (BASTION) for Infectious Disease

Kansas Biosciences Authority Funded Projects

  • Modeling a Rift Valley fever risk surveillance system and testing efficient mitigation strategies for the United States
  • A public-private partnership for supporting the control of foreign swine disease incursions and disease emergencies in the United States
  • Real-time risk assessment platform for evaluating the risk of African Swine Fever (ASF) introduction into the United States
  • Model of transmission of Foot and Mouth Disease virus on and from a U.S. beef farm

Kansas Biosciences Authority /National Pork Board Joint Call Funded Projects

  • African Swine Fever Virus: a bioinformatics resource to support comparative genomics for vaccine and virulence studies
  • Characterizing a U.S. swine movement network to enhance epidemiological modeling and response to transboundary animal disease