This is a lecture course on the changing epidemiological environment, with particular attention to the ways in which anthropogenic environmental changes are altering the ecology of infectious disease transmission, thereby promoting their re-emergence as a public health threat. Organized by case studies of environmental change at (roughly) local to global scales, we focus on the role that environmental changes (such as deforestation and land-use conversion, urbanization, human migration, international commerce, and climate change) play in contemporary disease transmission. The diseases affected by these environmental changes include SARS, Avian Flu, Malaria, Dengue Fever, Zika, Chagas disease, Lyme, Influenza, Cholera, Hantavirus, BSE/vCJD, and West Nile Virus. We'll use Monday and Wednesday class meetings for lectures; Fridays are reserved for sections, a required component of the class (section locations will be announced later).
This class site is for the graduate section, where we will work on developing some computational tools for studying the ecology and evolution of infectious disease.
This restricted directory holds any readings that do not have permanent web addresses that we will accumulate throughout the quarter.
This restricted directory holds the various hand-outs (e.g., lecture notes, supplementary readings, etc.) that we will accumulate throughout the quarter.
All of the calculations and figures that I use in lecture are done using the R statistical programming language. This links to a secure directory for class only where I will post the code that is not quite ready for prime time or otherwise needs to be kept within the confines of the course.
This page contains pointers to resources for better understanding the mathematics we use in the course, software, and books relevant to the material. Maybe other stuff too if I can think of it...