Research
Our research currently focuses on climate-health issues, vector borne disease modeling, geospatial models of intervention, and quantifying the social-ecological risk of viral emergence and vector borne disease exposure in a changing world. 

We work with the applied realm, aiming to align our model findings with real-world decision making frameworks and scales. We seek to inform vector control, surveillance, and guide and engage further research into these systems.

We also work on ecology at the human-wildlife interface, particularly where it pertains to disease ecology, conservation biology, and wildlife management.

We use methods from landscape ecology (GIS, remote sensing, spatial analyses), quantitative ecology, and epidemiology to analyze landscape change, health outcomes, and the impact of anthropogenic changes, including climate change.

CHECK OUT OUR CLIMATE-DISEASE MAPPING AT THIS GREAT WEB PROJECT CREATED BY JULIA BELLOT UF '21
Topics / Ongoing projects
VectorByte (NSF CIBR funded)
  • Developing and building data infrastructure for vector borne diseases of people, plants, and animals
  • Training on informatics approaches to understanding vector borne diseases and vector dynamics
SE Center of Excellence in Vector Borne Disease (CDC funded)
  • Data Core Lead 
  • Supports a number of projects in the US, and involves us in outreach to agencies and practitioners. 
VERENA: The Viral Emergence Initiative (NSF BII funded)
  • Exploring data-driven modeling approaches to viral emergence
  • Understanding spillover and emergence 
  • Describing the vector-arboviral network and how we understand it
  • Supporting training and informatics development with the team
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Vector ecology and social-ecological dynamics of VBDs
  • Social-ecological systems and climate-health 
  • ​Geospatial models of malaria intervention in Africa
    • Climate change and shifting risk on the landscape
    • Vector-pathogen life-history and temperature relationships
  • ​Geospatial models of ticks and pathogens in the US and Southern Africa
​Older Projects 
  • Anthrax and environmental transmission frameworks
  • Bluetongue and climate change risk