Evolutionary Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Project Information

EVOLEPID

Grant agreement ID: 243054

Project closed

Start date 1 January 2010

End date 31 December 2014

Funded under

• Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Total cost € 1 308 660,00

EU contribution € 1 308 660,00

Coordinated by

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
France

Objective

Our ability to control infectious diseases relies on a better understanding of epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics of pathogens. I will develop a research program combining theoretical and experimental approaches. First, I will extend the theoretical framework of evolutionary epidemiology into several new directions to study (1) the evolution of host and pathogen key life-history traits (parasite virulence, host resistance and host manipulation by the parasite) and, (2) the dynamics of adaptation of pathogens in constant and variable environments. This part of the project will be grounded on both mathematical epidemiology and population genetics. Second, I will use two biological models to test some of these theoretical predictions both in the laboratory and in the field: (1) I will study the interaction between the avian malaria parasite (Plasmodium relictum) and its mosquito vector (Culex pipiens) to test some of the predictions generated on life-history evolution, and in particular on host manipulation by the parasite. (2) I will study the evolutionary dynamics of the coliphage phix174 under different scenarios of environmental heterogeneity to test the predictions issued from models on the dynamics of adaptation in variable environments. In addition, I will measure patterns of adaptation across space and time using natural samples of viral and bacterial communities. The originality of this project lays in the combination of different perspectives on the dynamics of infectious diseases, ranging from theoretical population genetics to experimental behavioural ecology and evolution. Combining these different perspectives will yield a more comprehensive view of the dynamics of infectious diseases and contribute to the improvement of public-health interventions.

Fields of science

• medical and health sciences › health sciences › infectious diseases › malaria
• natural sciences › biological sciences › genetics
• medical and health sciences › health sciences › public health › epidemiology
• natural sciences › biological sciences › evolutionary biology
• natural sciences › biological sciences › biological behavioural sciences › behavioural ecology

Programme(s)

• FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

• ERC-SG-LS8 - ERC Starting Grant - Evolutionary, population and environmental biology

Call for proposal

ERC-2009-StG
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

Host institution

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS

• EU contribution: € 1 308 660,00
• Address: RUE MICHEL ANGE 3 ; 75794 Paris ; France
• Region: Ile-de-France › Ile-de-France › Paris
• Activity type: Research Organisations
• Administrative Contact: Jocelyn Mere (Mr.)
• Principal investigator: Sylvain Michel Marie Gandon (Dr.)
• Total cost: No data

Beneficiaries (1)

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS

France

• EU contribution: € 1 308 660,00
• Address: RUE MICHEL ANGE 3 ; 75794 Paris
• Region: Ile-de-France › Ile-de-France › Paris
• Activity type: Research Organisations
• Administrative Contact: Jocelyn Mere (Mr.)
• Principal investigator: Sylvain Michel Marie Gandon (Dr.)
• Total cost: No data