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

这笔资金将用于资助将于2006年9月26-28日在南非约翰内斯堡威特沃特斯兰德大学举办的一个讲习班，该讲习班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英才中心联合举办。近年来，传染病的数学建模对疾病管理的理论和实践产生了越来越大的影响，例如在艾滋病毒/艾滋病、口蹄疫、SARS和疫苗可预防的疾病(如脊髓灰质炎)方面。非洲的疾病给数学建模带来了复杂的挑战。美国的模型建造者需要数据来将他们的模型参数化，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。其结果将是更好地了解非洲的疾病管理，以及更实用的控制对非洲、美国和世界构成威胁的疾病的模式。为促进在这方面取得进展，讲习班将探讨对艾滋病毒/艾滋病和疟疾等非洲主要疾病产生的疫苗接种战略和数学建模问题进行建模，重点是对艾滋病毒/结核病和艾滋病毒/疟疾合并感染引起的问题进行建模。会议将讨论将气候和疾病联系起来的模型。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建模方面取得进展。研讨会还将探讨资源贫乏国家新出现疾病威胁所产生的模型化问题，特别是与禽流感或大流行性流感威胁有关的问题。研讨会还将研究人类和动物常见的疾病，如禽流感和结核病。研讨会的受邀者包括来自美国和非洲的数学建模人员和疾病专家，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放在国际背景下。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A&P；T大学)的合作关系将有助于DIMACS招收不同类型的学生参加会议。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非洲大陆各地的非洲学生和非洲研究人员参与进来。研讨会将打通美国和非洲科学家之间的交流渠道，使美国科学家能够更好地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，并为非洲在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.