This project was supported by a Modeling Access Grant, Center for Modeling Complex Interactions, University of Idaho. I collaborated with Ryan Long (University of Idaho) to develop an agent-based model of bighorn sheep population dynamics. This model can be used to investigate pneumonia dynamics in bighorn sheep populations and guide research questions. The goal of this work was to support the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in developing locale-specific disease management strategies for bighorn sheep populations.
With Claudia Munoz-Zanzi (University of Minnesota), Meghan Mason (St. Catherine University), Matt Gompper (New Mexico State University). We are using an agent-based approach to simulate transmission dynamics of host-adapted Leptospira strains in a multi-host system. One of the main objectives of this model is to evaluate alternate interventions aimed at reducing human infection risk in small-scale communities like urban slums.
The objective of this collaborative, OneHealth research project is to use viral genome sequencing, dog demography and epidemiological modeling to better understand the mechanisms of persistence and dispersal of canine rabies, and find focused, efficient strategies for interrupting dog-to-dog transmission of rabies virus in resource-limited settings.