Grant: Catalyst Grant: Pandemic Outbreak Team Leader

Due to the recent outbreak of the novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV), all countries have been on high pandemic alert. Increasingly, mathematical models of disease transmission in coordination with response logistics are used to understand the likely effect and impact of different public health interventions. In Canada, the Nominated Principal Investigator and his collaborators at the Canadian Consortium for Pandemic Preparedness Modeling (CanPan), have engaged the national and international networks. Through the ongoing activities of CanPan, several priority areas, regarding development of mitigation strategies for this specific strain of S-OIV H1N1 have been identified. The overarching objective of this proposal is to create rapid-response mathematical modeling platforms to quickly and efficiently analyze the pattern of disease spread using the S-OIV surveillance data and streamline the use of this information to design optimal intervention strategies to assist policymakers across Canada and beyond in controlling the disease spread.