Descrizione del progetto
Competenza in filodinamica per la salute pubblica e degli animali
Virus mortali quali l’Ebola hanno dimostrato l’importanza della conoscenza nel trattare le malattie infettive. Gli studi scientifici sui dati genetici ci aiutano a comprendere meglio i meccanismi di diffusione dei virus e contribuiscono a progettare modelli di gestione globali che rispondano ai pericoli per la salute pubblica e per quella degli animali. Il progetto DIGDEEP, finanziato dall’UE, svilupperà nuove strategie di controllo globale per ridurre al minimo le conseguenze di grandi epidemie sulla salute e sull’economia. Affronterà emergenze quali i nuovi virus dell’influenza aviaria (AIV). Metodi avanzati di inferenza epidemiologica, immunologica ed evolutiva aiuteranno a studiare e caratterizzare i principali determinanti della trasmissione virale. Verranno inoltre individuate le possibili ripercussioni tra specie per dare forma a nuovi interventi efficaci basati su competenze scientifiche.
Obiettivo
Successful public and animal health interventions require detailed knowledge of infectious disease transmission dynamics, in particular how they spread within and between populations. Recent advances in phylodynamics have largely contributed towards the understanding of epidemic spread, including Ebola, HIV and MERS-CoV, by integrating epidemiological and genetic data. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the emergence of new avian influenza viruses (AIV) with high pandemic potential have underlined the need for established global mechanisms to respond to public and animal health threats. To this end, DIGDEEP aims at developing alternative control strategies tailored to the characteristics of AIV evolution and transmission in order to minimize the global economic and health impact of the epidemics. The project will use cutting-edge phylodynamic inference methods to explore devastating and unprecedented epidemics of AIV in Europe and Asia. The outcomes of the project will allow us to infer key epidemiological parameters of the virus spread, such as the basic reproduction number or the likelihood of spillover between host species, and characterize the determinants of the epidemics, such as the importance of population structure or super-spreaders. DIGDEEP will also help to assess the effectiveness of public and animal health interventions in bringing the epidemic under control which are crucial for a well-informed response. Throughout the project, the fellow will gain a strong experience in phylodynamic inference methods, complementing her experience in epidemiology of infectious disease transmission. DIGDEEP will consolidate her scientific expertise in the field of public and animal health and develop transferable skills in team-working, communication and project management, which will be paramount to boost her career as a successful and internationally-recognized researcher.
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Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
8092 Zuerich
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