IGMS: Host Immunity and the Evolution of Infectious Diseases

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This award supports research and educational activities under the Interdisciplinary Grants in Mathematical Sciences program. The principle investigator who has background in mathematics proposes to obtain a broader background in biology. The projected activities are expected to lead to collaboration between the principle investigator and biologists in the Zoology Department. The research plan is centered on topics from mathematical epidemiology and involves elements of evolutionary biology. The investigator proposes to use partial deferential equation models and dynamical system theory to study the role of host immunity and age-structure in the competition and coexistence of multiple pathogen subtypes. In particular, she will study a number of emerging phenomena related to the use of vaccines and their impact on evolving pathogens: Strain substitution, subthreshols coexistence and multiple coexistence regimes.The educational activities are directed towards building the PI's background in biology and expanding the range of experiences for science students at University of Florida. The PI will spend eleven monthsof the 2005-2006 academic year in the Zoology Department of University of Florida. She will take several undergraduate and graduate classes in biology. She will read a number of articles in theoretical ecology, shewill interact closely with biologists in the Zoology Department and their students and postdocs. The PI expects to use her broader background to communicate with a wider range of scientists and to expand the experiences of science students at the University. She will teach a graduate course in mathematicalbiology. She will jointly co-mentor with biologists students in mathematics and biology. She will share the results of her research through talks and projects for interested students. This IGMS project is jointly supported by the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (OMA) and the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS).