US-Africa Workshop: The Role of Mathematical Modeling in Facing the Challenge of Infectious Disease in Africa; Johannesburg, South Africa; September 26-28, 2006

该奖项将资助由离散数学和理论计算机科学中心（DIMACS）和南非DST/NRF流行病学建模和分析卓越中心共同组织的研讨会，该研讨会将于2006年9月26日至28日在南非约翰内斯堡的威特沃特斯兰德大学举行。近年来，传染病的数学模型对疾病管理的理论和实践产生了越来越大的影响，例如与艾滋病毒/艾滋病、口蹄疫、非典型肺炎和脊髓灰质炎等疫苗可预防疾病有关的理论和实践。非洲的疾病对数学建模提出了复杂的挑战。美国的模型构建者需要数据来参数化他们的模型，而获得这些数据的最佳方式是直接与非洲的数据收集者和建模者合作。其结果将是更好地理解非洲疾病管理和更实用的模型来控制对非洲、美国和世界构成威胁的疾病。为了促进这方面的进展，讲习班将探讨疫苗接种战略的建模以及艾滋病毒/艾滋病和疟疾等非洲主要疾病引起的数学建模问题，其中一些重点是艾滋病毒/结核病和艾滋病毒/疟疾双重感染引起的建模问题。会议将讨论气候和疾病之间的关系模型。这些问题，特别是与非洲密切相关的问题，应导致在具有广泛适用性的数学模型方面取得进展。讲习班还将探讨资源贫乏国家因新出现的疾病威胁而产生的建模问题，特别是与禽流感或大流行性流感的威胁有关的问题。人类和动物常见的疾病，如禽流感和肺结核，也将被研究。研讨会的受邀者包括来自美国和非洲的数学建模者和疾病专家，以及十几名美国研究生和他们的非洲同行，从而帮助学生将他们的研究置于国际背景下。与四所历史悠久的黑人学院和大学（克拉克亚特兰大大学、霍华德大学、摩根州立大学、北卡罗来纳大学）的合作将有助于DIMACS招募各种各样的学生参加会议。与非洲数学科学研究所的伙伴关系将使讲习班组织者能够让来自整个非洲大陆的非洲学生和非洲研究人员参与进来。该研讨会将开辟美国和非洲科学家之间的交流渠道，更好地使美国科学家了解非洲不同环境下的疾病传播，为未来的数据和解释提供联系，并为非洲大陆抗击疾病的知识和人力资源做出贡献。该奖项由数学科学部和信息与智能系统部共同资助。

This award will fund a workshop, co-organized by the Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS) and the South African DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Epidemiological Modeling and Analysis, to be held at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, on September 26-28, 2006. In recent years, mathematical modeling of infectious diseases has had an increasing influence on the theory and practice of disease management, for instance in connection with HIV/AIDS, foot-and-mouth disease, SARS, and vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio. Diseases in Africa provide complex challenges for mathematical modeling. Model builders in the US need data to parameterize their models and the best way to get that data is to work directly with African data gatherers and modelers. The result will be better understanding of African disease management and more practical models for controlling diseases posing a threat to Africa, the US and the world. To foster progress in this direction, the workshop will explore modeling of vaccination strategies and mathematical modeling issues arising from such key diseases of Africa as HIV/AIDS and malaria, with some emphasis on modeling issues arising from co-infection by HIV/tuberculosis and HIV/malaria. There will be discussion of models connecting climate and disease. These issues, especially germane to Africa, should lead to progress on mathematical modeling with broad applicability. The workshop will also explore modeling issues arising from the threat of emerging diseases in resource-poor countries, especially relevant to the threats from avian or pandemic influenza. Diseases common to humans and animals, such as avian flu and tuberculosis, will also be studied.The workshop invitees include mathematical modelers and disease experts from the US and Africa, as well as a dozen US graduate students and their African counterparts, thus helping students put their research within an international context. Partnerships with four historically Black colleges and universities (Clark Atlanta, Howard, Morgan State, North Carolina A&T) will help DIMACS to recruit a diverse set of students to participate in the meeting. A partnership with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences will enable the workshop organizers to involve African students and African researchers from across the continent. The workshop will open up lines of communication between US and African scientists, better enable the US scientists to understand disease transmission in different settings in Africa, provide contacts for future data and interpretation, and contribute to Africa's knowledge and human resources for fighting disease on the continent.This award is co-funded by the Division of Mathematical Sciences and the Division of Information and Intelligent Systems.