IGMS: Host Immunity and the Evolution of Infectious Diseases

该奖项支持数学科学跨学科资助计划下的研究和教育活动。具有数学背景的主要研究者建议在生物学方面获得更广泛的背景。预计这些活动将导致主要研究者和动物学系的生物学家之间的合作。研究计划以数学流行病学为中心，并涉及进化生物学的要素。研究者提出利用偏递方程模型和动力系统理论研究宿主免疫和年龄结构在多种病原菌亚型竞争和共存中的作用。特别是，她将研究与使用疫苗及其对不断演变的病原体的影响有关的一些新现象：菌株替代、亚阈值共存和多重共存制度。教育活动的目的是建立PI的生物学背景，并扩大佛罗里达大学理科学生的经验范围。该项目将于2005-2006学年在佛罗里达大学动物学系进行11个月的研究。她将选修几门生物学的本科和研究生课程。她将阅读一些理论生态学的文章，她将与动物学系的生物学家及其学生和博士后密切互动。PI希望利用她更广泛的背景与更广泛的科学家交流，并扩大大学理科生的经验。她将教授一门数学生物学的研究生课程。她将与生物学专业的学生共同指导数学和生物学。她将通过讲座和项目与感兴趣的学生分享她的研究成果。该IGMS项目由MPS多学科活动办公室（OMA）和数学科学司（DMS）联合支持。

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).