Current areas of research
We use mathematical analysis and computational simulations, combined with experimental data, to study the dynamics of pathogens on different spatial and temporal scales. The goal is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the complex processes that govern the dynamics of infectious diseases. Our projects touch on several biological and biomedical fields, such as virology, immunology, microbiology, pharmacology, ecology and epidemiology. The tools we use come mostly from the areas of applied mathematics, dynamical systems theory, scientific computation and statistics. We currently focus on the following topics:
Influenza
We are interested in the dynamics of influenza, both on the within-host level and the between-host level. On the within-host level, we try to gain a better and more quantitative understanding as to what drives the infection dynamics and leads to virus clearance. On the between-host levels, we are interested in the spread and potential control of the virus.
Tuberculosis
A new collaboration with Chris Whalen at UGA will involve combining mathematical models with data to better understand the spread of tuberculosis. To that end, we will combine transmission data from his field site in Uganda with mathematical and computational models to understand how the pathogen spreads and what kind of interventions are possible.Drug Resistance
For both influenza and TB -- as well as many other pathogens -- the generation and spread of drug resistance is an ever increasing problem. A lot of our work is done with drug resistance in mind. This applies to antimicrobial and antiviral drugs on both the within-host and between-host level.
Pathogen - Immune Response Interactions
Understanding the dynamical interactions between pathogens and the immune system will help us to further improve our ability to create novel vaccines and treatment strategies. In collaboration with several experimental groups at UGA and elsewhere, we study different aspects of pathogen - immune response interactions. Our current focus is on viral infections and CD8 T-cell responses against those viruses.
Evolution and adaptation of microbial populations
Understanding what drives the evolution and adaptation of microbial populations provides fundamental insights into evolutionary processes and is also important for public health reasons, since many microbes are pathogenic and cause diseases. Understanding the evolution of microbes can for instance provide a better understanding how antimicrobial drug use leads to resistance emergence. We study fundamental processes that shape the evolution and adaptation of microbial populations.
Funding
We are currently supported through start-up funds from the University of Georgia, as well as a NIAID/NIH K25 grant.