We develop mathematical modelling methods and tools with direct application to emerging and transboundary animal diseases, providing an understanding of infectious disease transmission processes among livestock populations.
Featured Projects
Animal Movement Networks, Risk Based Targeted Surveillance, and Dynamics of Disease Transmission
Promoting continuing education through network analysis techniques applied to animal movement data for improved disease surveillance.
Estimate the impacts of movement restrictions under the national African swine fever response plan
Evaluating transmission between farms through analysis of animal movement data and testing APHIS ASF control strategies.
A novel multilevel model of swine disease spread to assess ASF control and eradication strategies
Developing a novel multilevel model of swine disease spread to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of African swine fever control and eradication strategies.
Ongoing Research Support (17)
Uncovering the main modes of transmission of HPAI at the farm and barn levels under optimized ventilation
2026–2028 · Funded by: USDA-APHIS HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge
Optimizing swine sample collector network: a comprehensive analysis of sampler distribution, logistics, and the national animal health laboratory network capacity
2025–2027 · Funded by: USDA-APHIS NADPRP
A novel multilevel model of swine disease spread to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of African swine fever control and eradication strategies
2024–2027 · Funded by: USDA-AFRI DSFAS
Cost-benefit analysis of vehicle and trailer rerouting to prevent disease propagation
2024–2025 · Funded by: SHIC/FFAR/NPB Wean to Harvest Biosecurity Research
Estimate the impacts of movement restrictions under the national African swine fever response plan
2021–2026 · Funded by: USDA-APHIS NADPRP
Near-real time spatiotemporal resource allocation to improve swine health
Developing spatial and statistical tools to optimize disease control for PRRS and PED, combining data-visualization with Bayesian and machine-learning methods.
Risk-guided surveillance: analysis of complex networks, strengthening of the sentinel program, population dynamics and identification of areas at risk for the spread of endemic and exotic diseases
2021–2025 · Funded by: FUNDESA-RS
Predict and protect against PRRSV (Preproprrsv): Combine PRRSV forecasting technology with vaccine efficacy prediction to prevent PRRSV outbreak
2022–2026 · Multi-PI · Funded by: USDA-AFRI IDEAS
Mid-Atlantic Secure Milk Supply Plan Project
2024–2026 · Co-PI · Funded by: USDA-APHIS NADPRP
Ongoing automated surveillance of swine livestock productivity data to early detect PRRSV outbreaks
2023–2026 · Co-PI · Funded by: USDA-AFRI CARE
Context-based recommendation for surveillance actions and response to outbreaks of notifiable diseases in animals
2024–2027 · Co-PI · Funded by: FAPERGS
Viability RT-qPCR Assay for Environmental PRRSV and PEDV Infectivity Detection
2025–2026 · Co-PI · Funded by: National Pork Board
Completed Research Support (21)
Collaborative and Other-funded Research
Publications from collaborative projects, seed grants, and external funding not covered under major funded projects.
NCSU-Funded Research
Development of dissemination platforms and early identification of key factors for PRRSV spatial distribution in North Carolina.
Developing a Tool for Standardization for Cataloging, Reviewing, and Approving of Secure Beef Supply Plans
2022–2025 · Funded by: USDA-APHIS NADPRP
Major Enhancement of U.S. swine industry preparedness and responses to large-scale infectious foreign animal diseases through harmonizing biosecurity plans and advancing interpretable machine learning
2022–2025 · Funded by: FFAR New Innovator Fellowship
Integrating data streams for causal inference and forecasting application to foster precision swine health
2022–2025 · Co-PI · Funded by: USDA-AFRI IDEAS
Develop the Epidemiological Framework Necessary to Reconstruct Vehicle Movement Network
2022–2024 · Funded by: SHIC
Rerouting between-farm transportation vehicle movements to minimize the dissemination of endemic and emerging diseases in North America
2022–2024 · Funded by: SHIC
National Pork Board API Development Agreement
2022 · Funded by: National Pork Board
Refining sample size recommendations for PQA Plus® and CSIA audit tool
2022–2023 · Co-PI · Funded by: National Pork Board
Combining standardized on-farm biosecurity plans with animal movement data in a user-friendly rapid access biosecurity management tool: a multi state study
2021–2023 · Funded by: USDA-APHIS NADPRP
Assessing biosecurity vulnerabilities to predict the risk of new Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome outbreaks
2019–2023 · Funded by: USDA-AFRI
Development of a machine-learning framework to identify risk factors for COVID-19 infection in swine caretakers and estimate the chances of new COVID-19 waves
2021–2023 · Funded by: UGPN
Dynamic transmission modeling — the role of feed, feed ingredients in swine disease transmission
2020–2021 · Funded by: Fats and Proteins Research Foundation
High-resolution dynamic risk mapping to guide timely disease interventions
2019–2020 · Funded by: SHIC
Network analysis to guide active surveillance
2019–2020 · Funded by: FUNDESA
Biosecurity screening tool to identify breeding herds' risk to PRRS outbreak using a short survey
2019–2020 · Co-PI · Funded by: SHIC
Distribution and activity of Pythium insidiosum in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
2019–2020 · Co-PI · Funded by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Forecasting the spread of endemic viruses of swine in the United States
2018–2020 · Co-PI · Funded by: USDA-AFRI
Development of a dissemination platform for temporal, spatial and phylogenetic analysis of Avian Infectious Bronchitis Virus sequences
2019–2020 · Funded by: NCSU Research and Innovation Seed Funding
Identification of key factors enabling PRRSv spatial distribution and the importance of new virus variant introduction on the incidence of PRRSv in North Carolina
2019–2020 · Funded by: NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine
Use of swine movement information to improve risk-based surveillance
2019–2020 · Funded by: CVM Global Health Grant Program
Foot and mouth disease in Brazil — cattle, swine, small ruminants and poultry
2021 · Funded by: Triangle Community Foundation
Optimizing control interventions for Visceral Leishmaniasis in multiple settings
2019–2022 · Funded by: UGPN