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Research of Infectious Disease Epidemiology

The research of the group focuses on the development of transmission models for infectious agents in livestock, wild animals, companion animals, and humans in which knowledge from theoretical biology, veterinary science, animal science, epidemiology, ecology, mathematics and statistics are integrated. Such models are supported with data from laboratory and field studies.

Understanding mechanisms of transmission and infectious disease management in animals are the two main motivations of our work and play a role in each of our research projects.

The methods are developed and used in these projects, among others:

  • Understanding new emerging mosquito-borne viruses (One Health PACT)
  • Eradication of endemic infections by vaccination and supporting control measures
    • Bovine Tb
    • Foot- and mouth disease
    • Avian Influenza
  • Breeding against endemic infectious diseases in farmed animals.
  • Managing emerging (zoonotic) infections (Influenza, SARS-Cov-2)

Current PhD projects

PhD studentPhD project

Wouter Lokhorst

Tracking and tackling goat farm-associated pneumonia through metagenomics

Renate Hakze-van der Honing

Hepatitis E virus infection, molecular epidemiology and transmission in swine, human, wild boar and the environment

Victoria Iriarte Barbosa

Towards a status of foot-and-mouth disease free, without vaccination. Considering risks of reintroduction, emergency preparedness and economic factors to stop vaccination

Tinka Jelsma

Natural Casings: inactivation of porcine viruses

Mariken de Wit

Arbovirus emergence and spread on a national and international scale: insights from data-driven modelling for detection and control

Okta Wismandanu

Utilization of big data analysis on Bovine Viral Diarrhoea infections in Dutch and Indonesian dairy herds

Clara Delacroix

Anticipating future mosquito-borne disease outbreaks

Joey Fang

Indoor transmission of respiratory disease

Yuqi Gao

Genetic selection against endemic infections in animal husbandry

Pam van Touw

Network modelling of Caribbean long-spined sea urchins die-off and strategies for recovery

Evelien Germeraad

Swine Influenza A virus dynamics at pig farms

Lieke Rongen

Multi-scale modelling of West Nile Virus Transmission

Anyaphat Srithanasuwan

Molecular epidemiology of Streptococcus uberis

Inês Marcelino

Herbivore Health in Nature Reserves in the Netherlands

Xiaoyan Xiong

The transmission of Hepatitis E Viruses between different animal species and humans

  1. PhD student

    Wouter Lokhorst

    PhD project

    Tracking and tackling goat farm-associated pneumonia through metagenomics

  2. PhD student

    Renate Hakze-van der Honing

    PhD project

    Hepatitis E virus infection, molecular epidemiology and transmission in swine, human, wild boar and the environment

  3. PhD student

    Victoria Iriarte Barbosa

    PhD project

    Towards a status of foot-and-mouth disease free, without vaccination. Considering risks of reintroduction, emergency preparedness and economic factors to stop vaccination

  4. PhD student

    Tinka Jelsma

    PhD project

    Natural Casings: inactivation of porcine viruses

  5. PhD student

    Mariken de Wit

    PhD project

    Arbovirus emergence and spread on a national and international scale: insights from data-driven modelling for detection and control

  6. PhD student

    Okta Wismandanu

    PhD project

    Utilization of big data analysis on Bovine Viral Diarrhoea infections in Dutch and Indonesian dairy herds

  7. PhD student

    Clara Delacroix

    PhD project

    Anticipating future mosquito-borne disease outbreaks

  8. PhD student

    Joey Fang

    PhD project

    Indoor transmission of respiratory disease

  9. PhD student

    Yuqi Gao

    PhD project

    Genetic selection against endemic infections in animal husbandry

  10. PhD student

    Pam van Touw

    PhD project

    Network modelling of Caribbean long-spined sea urchins die-off and strategies for recovery

  11. PhD student

    Evelien Germeraad

    PhD project

    Swine Influenza A virus dynamics at pig farms

  12. PhD student

    Lieke Rongen

    PhD project

    Multi-scale modelling of West Nile Virus Transmission

  13. PhD student

    Anyaphat Srithanasuwan

    PhD project

    Molecular epidemiology of Streptococcus uberis

  14. PhD student

    Inês Marcelino

    PhD project

    Herbivore Health in Nature Reserves in the Netherlands

  15. PhD student

    Xiaoyan Xiong

    PhD project

    The transmission of Hepatitis E Viruses between different animal species and humans