Postdoc:
Mathematical Modeling of Dengue Virus Epidemiology
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION: The Research Training Group (RTG) in the mathematical sciences at North Carolina State University is searching for a postdoc interested in working on two
NIH-funded projects that will build, test and refine stochastic, spatially
explicit, simulation models that link insect population dynamics and genetics
with human disease epidemiology. RTG is developing a city-scale model for the
transmission of dengue virus, utilizing rich entomological, epidemiological and
human movement data sets from a research collaboration focused in Iquitos,
Peru. A major goal of the work is to predict the impacts of various
interventions (such as conventional mosquito control, vaccines, and
evolution-based novel transgenic mosquito management methods) on dengue.
The
incumbent will lead modeling efforts to further develop and test the
epidemiological component of our model and integrate that model with the
entomological model. RTG is also interested in building simple spatial and
non-spatial, deterministic models as heuristic tools for better understanding
basic principles, but they are not looking for applicants who are only interested
in working with simple, generic models.
An
important part of these projects involves field experiments and epidemiological
studies by our collaborators in Peru to acquire data that will inform the
structure and parameterization of the models, and a large-scale mosquito
control study to provide data against which model predictions will be tested.
The person in this position will have the opportunity to travel to Peru to
become more familiar with the epidemiological and entomological work at the
field site.
The funding
for this postdoctoral position is through two NIH research grants. There will
also be opportunities to work with students and faculty involved in NC State’s
Center for Genetic Engineering and Society (http://research.ncsu.edu/ges) and
in the Research Training Group on Mathematical Biology (http://rtg.math.ncsu.edu) which focuses on questions relating to parameter estimation for biological models. Much of the work is part of a collaboration
with researchers at Emory, UC Davis and Notre Dame.
Qualifications:
Training in ecological or epidemiological modeling and experience with development
of computer simulation models. Experience in C++ would be highly desirable, as would
be statistical skills.
To apply:
email a cover letter and CV to
For more
details on the project see the following publications:
Magori, K.,
M. Legros, M. Puente, D. A. Focks, T. W. Scott, A. Lloyd, F, Gould. 2009.
Skeeter Buster: A stochastic, spatially-explicit modeling tool for studying Aedes aegypti
population replacement and population suppression strategies. PLoS Negl Trop
Dis 3(9): e508. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000508
Xu, C.,
Legros, M., Gould, F, Lloyd, A. L. 2010.Understanding Uncertainties in
Model-Based Predictions of Aedes aegypti Population Dynamics. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 4(9): e830. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000830
Legros, M.,
Magori, K., Morrison, A.C., Xu, C., Scott, T.W., Lloyd, A.L., Gould, F. 2011.
Evaluation of location-specific predictions by a detailed simulation model of
Aedes aegypti populations. PLoS ONE 6(7), e22701.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0022701
Okamoto KW,
Robert MA, Gould F, Lloyd AL (2014) Feasible Introgression of an Anti-pathogen Transgene
into an Urban Mosquito Population without Using Gene-Drive. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 8(7): e2827.
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002827
Smith, D.L., et
al. (2014). Recasting the Theory of Mosquito-Borne
Pathogen Transmission Dynamics and Control. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 108,
185-197. DOI:10.1093/trstmh/tru026
(Source: ECOLOG-L)
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Statistical Modelling of Spatio-Temporal Systems at Stockholm University, Sweden
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Statistical Modelling of Spatio-Temporal Systems at the Department of Mathematics. Reference number SU FV-2278-14.
Deadline for applications: November 17, 2014.
Additional information you can find by clicking here.
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