Genomic and mathematical approaches for the precise targeting of public health interventions to control viral emergence
Supervisors
Dr Verity Hill, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow
Prof David L Robertson, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow
Prof Andrew Rambaut, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh
Summary
Emerging pathogens are an ongoing threat to human health globally. At the start of outbreaks, there is a small amount of available data, as case numbers are low. However breaking transmission chains at this stage is disproportionately effective at preventing a wider outbreak. Phylodynamics combines epidemiological and pathogen evolutionary processes obtained from genomic data to infer information about unobserved events, and is a powerful tool to understand viral transmission. In this project, you will combine phylodynamic and mathematical modelling techniques to expand how we use viral genomes to control infectious disease outbreaks in animal and human viruses. You will work with simulated and real-world data on multiple viruses including Hepatitis C virus, SARS-CoV-2, and dengue virus to understand what kind of data we need in an early outbreak scenario to draw accurate conclusions about spatial spread, and what drives the establishment of new genotypes. This will allow us to better understand which individuals and populations are at risk of severe disease, better targeting interventions and preventing future outbreaks. This project will develop your computational, mathematical, and evolutionary biology skills, and allow you to connect scientific innovation to public health impact. Skills learned will include genomics, ecological and epidemiological mathematical modelling, coding and bioinformatics, and using protein large language models.
Supervisor(s) for each project will be holding a 30-minute Q&A session during the first two weeks of December.
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