Computer Science Department News

Upcoming Computer Science Colloquium. Title: Estimating tick-borne disease risk with an agent-based model. Friday February 18 E&CS Building Auditorium.

PLACE: E & C S BUILDING AUDITORIUM (1ST FLOOR)

DATE: February 18th

TIME: 10:00 (DONUTS) 10:10 (TALK)

Title: Estimating tick-borne disease risk with an agent-based model.

Ticks have a unique life history including a distinct set of life stagesand a single bloodmeal per life stage. While some tick species have asingle preferred host for each life stage, other tick species will feedon a variety of hosts. All of this makes tick-host interactions morecomplex from a mathematical perspective. In addition, any model of theseinteractions must involve a significant degree of stochasticity on theindividual tick level. In an attempt to quantify these relationships, wehave developed an individual-based model of the interactions betweenticks and their hosts as well as the transmission of tick-borne diseasebetween the two populations. Preliminary analysis of disease prevalenceas a function of host diversity is presented.

Dr. Holly Gaff is an Assistant Professor in the Department of BiologicalSciences at Old Dominion University and is affiliated with the VirginiaModeling, Analysis and Simulation Center. Dr. Gaff earned her Ph.D. inMathematics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1999. Dr. Gaff'sresearch interests have focused mainly on studying the dynamics and control ofinfectious diseases using mathematical modeling and computer simulation. Mostof her research has focused on developing mathematical models for exploring theecology of vector-borne diseases including Rift Valley fever and tick-bornediseases in the Hampton Roads area. She has had funding for these and otherprojects from NIH, NSF, DHS, CDC and the VA.