Researcher

Professor James Gareth Wood

My Expertise

Epidemiological modelling, population effects of interventions for infectious diseases (vaccines, test & treat), epidemiology and burden of respiratory viral infections, economic evaluations of vaccine programs

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Biological Mathematics, Epidemiology, Simulation and Modelling, Infectious Diseases

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Biography

Dr James Wood is an applied mathematician with interests across a broad range from evolutionary and immunological processes to cost-effectiveness evaluations for disease interventions. He completed his honours degree and PhD at the University of Queensland (both in mathematical physics). His primary application area is respiratory viruses and vaccine preventable diseases but he also has interests in tuberculosis and sexually transmitted...view more

Dr James Wood is an applied mathematician with interests across a broad range from evolutionary and immunological processes to cost-effectiveness evaluations for disease interventions. He completed his honours degree and PhD at the University of Queensland (both in mathematical physics). His primary application area is respiratory viruses and vaccine preventable diseases but he also has interests in tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections.

He has published over 80 papers in international journals, focussing on the impact and cost-effectiveness of vaccines on epidemiology, along with research related disease elimination and parameter estimation (particularly for measles). Since 2020 he has been heavily involved in state and national responses to COVID-19 as well some WHO work in support of responses in the Philippines and Malaysia. His current primary interests are  in integrating genetic and immunologic elements into epidemiological models to account for trends in pathogen resistance and population immunity, with applications to infections such as COVID-19, influenza and gonorrhea.

Current funded projects: 

James is lead investigator on COVID-19 modelling contracts with NSW Health and an investigator on contracts with the federal department of health and WHO led by University of Melbourne and the Doherty Institute respectively.

James is a CI on a large NHMRC funded community-wide wide trial of screening and treatment in Vietnam led by Professor Guy Marks.

Potential research students: Students or potential fellowship candidates with a strong quantitative background and interest in population dynamics of infectious diseases should contact me by email (james.wood@unsw.edu.au). My specific areas of focus at present are:

Estimating the effects of COVID-19 interventions on transmission

The role of different venue types in transmission of respiratory infections

Efficient surveillance for evolving respiratory infections

Utility of contact tracing augmented by genotyping/genomics for outbreak management 

 


My Qualifications

BSc (Hons 1, Mathematics) University of Queensland 1997

PhD (Mathematical Physics) University of Queensland 2004


My Research Supervision


Supervision keywords


Areas of supervision

Main areas

Epidemiological modelling of infectious diseases

Cost-effectiveness evaluations of infectious disease interventions

Statistical and epidemiological analysis of infectious disease data

Emerging areas

Immunological modelling for infectious diseases

Evolutionary models of infectious diseases


Currently supervising

PhD/DrPH

Erin Sparrow (Monoclonal antibodies against infectious diseases, joint primary supervisor)

Robert Leong (epidemiology of pertussis, joint supervisor)

Al Nazareno (modelling and cost-effectiveness for RSV vaccines, co-supervisor)

Eve Liu (Wastewater surveillance of anti-microbial resistance, primary supervisor)

 

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Contact

02 9385 8769

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