Academic supervisors

Prior to submitting an application for admission, you must secure a potential supervisor. Details of the School’s academics can be found below – please note, when contacting a supervisor email is the preferred method.

It can be confusing to contact several supervisors at once and we recommend you contact one supervisor at a time.

The following details should be included in your initial email:

Your proposed research - including a research proposal would be beneficial, however, it is not essential
How the chosen supervisors’ experience or knowledge is relevant to your research
A copy of your CV
Your relevant experience/background in the field of your chosen research
Your desired start date (if known)
How you intend to fund the Degree
How you intend to fund the Degree

***Supervisors are unlikely to reply if you have not included all the details listed above***

Many supervisors receive a large number of emails each day, so please be patient whilst waiting for a response. We recommend applicants send a follow-up email if no response has been received within a three week period.

Alternatively, applicants who have identified a suitable supervisor can contact the PhD Administrator if they have not received a response to their initial email.

Dr Sara Ahmadi-Abhari

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Dr Sara Ahmadi-Abhari Lecturer in the Epidemiology of Ageing, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research Interests

Investigating novel biological pathways leading to dementia that may lead to identification of early detection or therapeutic targets. The overarching aim of research is to reveal unidentified dementia subtypes through multi-modal analysis of genetic, fluid biomarker and neuroimaging data collected in large epidemiological studies by application of advanced statistical modelling techniques, supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods.

Other line of research involves public health Markov modelling to forecast the future burden of dementia and disability at population level and estimating the impact of public health interventions on prevalence of these conditions.
Professor Sir Roy Anderson

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Professor Sir Roy Anderson Professor in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Host interaction between pathogens and the immune system
Spread, persistence and transmission dynamics of genotypes within pathogen populations
Impact and control of diseases within communities
Dr Nimalan Arinaminpathy

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Dr Nimalan Arinaminpathy Professor in Mathematical Epidemiology, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research Interests

The interface between health/economic systems and infectious diseases, particularly in the context of human tuberculosis. This includes understanding how health systems shape the control of infectious diseases and studying financing mechanisms for the supply of drugs to countries in need.
Professor Deborah Ashby

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Professor Deborah Ashby Director of the School of Public Health
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Research interests

Clinical trials, risk-benefit decision making for medicines and the utility of Bayesian approaches in these areas
Professor Paul Aylin

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Professor Paul Aylin Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

Using routinely collected administrative data to explore variations in the quality and safety of healthcare with the aim of improving patient care
Dr Leon Barron

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Dr Leon Barron Reader in Analytical & Environmental Sciences, Environmental Research Group
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Research interests

Analytical Science; Chemical Risk Assessment; Wastewater-Based Epidemiology; Early Threat Warning and 'Environmental Forensics'
Professor Maria-Gloria Basanez

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Professor Maria-Gloria Basanez Professor of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Epidemiology and control of helminthiases in general and population biology of indirectly-transmitted macroparasites in particular, with emphasis on River Blindness. My interests range from vector biology and transmission studies, to development of mathematical models to aid control policy.
Dr Marta Blangiardo

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Dr Marta Blangiardo Chair in Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Bayesian modelling of exposure to air pollutants, integration of air pollution concentration from different sources
Bayesian hierarchical models for combining individual and ecological data in epidemiological studies
Bayesian measurement error models
Professor Marie-Claude Boily

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Professor Marie-Claude Boily Professor of Mathematical Epidemiology, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

The use of mathematical models to understand the spread of HIV/STI
Evaluating prevention strategies
Validating and improving epidemiological study design and analysis
Dr R Alex Bottle

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Dr R Alex Bottle Professor of Medical Statistics, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

Using routinely collected data to explore variations in health service quality and safety with the aim of improving patient care
Dr Josip Car

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Dr Josip Car Reader in Primary Care and eHealth, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

Please note : Dr Car is only available to be a secondary supervisor
eHealth, mHealth, health systems and population health research
Professor Marc Chadeau

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Professor Marc Chadeau Professor of Computational Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

The application of novel statistical approaches to answer biologically/epidemiologically-driven questions. Main focuses include computationally efficient models for profiling from high-throughput platform and dynamic models for disease progression.
Dr John Chambers

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Dr John Chambers Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Investigation of genetic and environmental mechanisms underlying obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and related phenotypic disturbances in Indian Asians.
Professor Thomas Churcher

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Professor Thomas Churcher Professor of Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Use of mathematical models to understand the epidemiology and control of malaria, in particular, how the biology of the parasite will influence the resilience of the parasite to the success of different control interventions.
Dr Victoria Cornelius

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Dr Victoria Cornelius Professor in Medical Statistics and Trials Methodology, Imperial Clinical Trials Unit
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Research Interests

Clinical Trials Research
Detecting adverse drug reactions In randomised controlled trials
Designing trials for uncommon conditions
Dr Céire Costelloe

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Dr Céire Costelloe Visiting Professor
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Research Interests

I work in research in digital health, with a focus on the use of routinely collected data to predict risk, inform innovation and evaluate interventions in healthcare practice.
My work spans modelling, including research into the impact of vaccines on AMR, developing and testing digital interventions for infection outcomes such as sepsis, and studying patient and population level impacts of digital tools such as patient portals and the NHS app.
Professor Amanda Cross

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Professor Amanda Cross Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

- Gastrointestinal malignancies and etiologic studies of lifestyle factors and cancer risk
Dr Abbas Dehghan

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Dr Abbas Dehghan Reader in Cardiometabolic Disease Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Molecular determinants of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
The role of chronic low-grade inflammation in complex disorders, causality and underlying mechanisms of cardiometabolic disorders.
Professor Christl Donnelly

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Professor Christl Donnelly Professor of Statistical Epidemiology, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Combining statistical and biomathematical methods to analyse epidemiological patterns of infectious diseases
Outbreak response
Ebola, SARS, Pandemic Influenza, bovine tuberculosis, diseases of livestock and wildlife
Ilaria Dorigatti

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Ilaria Dorigatti Senior Lecturer, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Combining mathematical and statistical models to characterise how infectious disease spread and what drives spatiotemporal patterns
Assess the impact of interventions, e.g. vaccination, vector control and non-pharmaceutical interventions
Outbreak analysis
Arboviruses, including dengue, Zika and Yellow Fever
Emerging viruses, e.g. SARS-CoV-2 and Ebola
Professor Paul Elliott

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Professor Paul Elliott Chair in Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Environmental epidemiology and small area health statistics, genetic and molecular epidemiology, gene-environment interaction, nutritional epidemiology, cohort studies, biobanking, non-ionising radiation and health
Dr Evangelos Evangelou

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Dr Evangelos Evangelou Senior Lecturer, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Genetic/molecular epidemiology
Meta-analysis of large-scale genetic data
Empirical research methodology
Assessment of biases in primary studies and meta-analyses
Professor Majid Ezzati

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Professor Majid Ezzati Chair in Global Environmental Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Population health, environment and health, health inequalities, global health, health forecasting, application of statistical and machine learning methods to population health
Dr Daniela Fecht

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Dr Daniela Fecht Senior Lecturer, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

My research focuses on two themes: 1) Geographical variations in population health, with particular focus on urban systems; and 2) environmental and health inequalities.
Professor Neil Ferguson

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Professor Neil Ferguson Professor of Mathematical Biology, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Director of the MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling
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Research interests

Epidemiology, evolution and control of infectious disease (notably dengue, influenza, ebola and malaria)
Mathematical modelling
Statistical inference in epidemiology
Dr Filippos Filippidis

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Dr Filippos Filippidis Senior Lecturer in Public Health, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

Epidemiology of tobacco and related products. Evaluation of tobacco control policies, such as taxation and smoke-free environments. Tobacco industry interference. Health-related behaviours (e.g. diet and physical activity). Health services and socioeconomic inequalities.
Professor Matthew Fisher

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Professor Matthew Fisher Professor of Fungal Disease Epidemiology, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Using an evolutionary framework to investigate the biological and environmental factors that are driving emerging fungal diseases in both human, wildlife and plant species. My group generates large population genomic
Professor Azra Ghani

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Professor Azra Ghani Chair in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Epidemiology, control and elimination of malaria focusing on the development and application of mathematical models
Professor Nicholas Grassly

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Professor Nicholas Grassly Professor of Infectious Disease and Vaccine Epidemiology, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

vaccine epidemiology, clinical trial design, mathematical modelling, molecular diagnostics and sequencing, esp. interested in poliovirus, rotavirus and other enteric infections. Lab and office-based projects available
Dr David Green

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Dr David Green Senior Research Fellow, Environmental Research Group
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Research interests

Measurement of chemical and physical composition of airborne particulate matter, development and testing of atmospheric measurement approaches, receptor modelling and source apportionment, emissions of air pollutants
Professor Simon Gregson

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Professor Simon Gregson Professor in Demography and Behavioural Science, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

The dynamics of spread, impact and control of HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa
Professor Timothy Hallett

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Professor Timothy Hallett Professor of Global Health, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

The development and application of mathematical models for the heterosexual HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa
Professor Katharina Hauck

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Professor Katharina Hauck Professor in Health Economics, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Economics of infectious diseases and empirical health economics, specifically economics of healthcare systems that aim to control infectious disease, cost-effectiveness analysis of dynamic disease transmission models, and incorporating human behaviour in models of infectious disease.
Professor Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin

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Professor Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin Chair in Lifecourse Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Dr Thibaut Jombart

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Dr Thibaut Jombart Senior Lecturer, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Using simulations to understand which and how biological processes shape the genetic diversity observed in biological populations. Developing novel statistical approaches for extracting information from pathogen genomes and gain insights into the spatio-temporal dynamics of infectious diseases.
Dr Anthony Laverty

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Dr Anthony Laverty Senior Lecturer, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

Evaluation of public health policies in the areas of transport systems, tobacco control and nutrition
Professor Azeem Majeed

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Professor Azeem Majeed Chair in Primary Care and Public Health and Head of Department, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

Please note : Professor Majeed is currently unable to support any more students.

Chronic disease management, particularly diabetes and cardiovascular disorders; health policy and the organisation and delivery of health care; the use of information for policy, planning and research; developing innovative methodologies for primary care and public health research using clinical and administrative databases; the use of new technology to improve health care.
Professor Lefkos Middleton

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Professor Lefkos Middleton Chair in Clinical Neurology, Neuroepidemiology and Aging Unit
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Research interests

The respective role of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease and in prevention strategies for these diseases.
Professor Christopher Millett

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Professor Christopher Millett Professor of Public Health, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

Public health policy evaluation, with a particular interest in health inequality impact. The main areas of his research currently include tobacco control, active travel, improving the management of chronic disease, financial protection in health systems.
Dr Lucy Okell

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Dr Lucy Okell Senior Lecturer/Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Epidemiology and mathematical modelling of malaria drugs, diagnostics and drug resistance.
Dr Fred Piel

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Dr Fred Piel Senior Lecturer in Spatial Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Spatial epidemiology of genetic diseases, including cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease; disease burden and public health surveillance; small-area health studies; capacity building in ow- and middle-income countries.
Professor Salman Rawaf

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Professor Salman Rawaf Director of WHO Collaborating Centre, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

Health systems organisation and management, primary care organisation, public health, NCD, training and medical education, and translation of research findings.
Professor Steven Riley

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Professor Steven Riley Professor of Infectious Disease Dynamics, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

The transmission of human pathogens. He conducts field studies, analyses data and uses mathematical models to look at scientific questions that are relevant to public health.
Professor Sonia Saxena

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Professor Sonia Saxena Professor of Primary Care, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

preventive primary care, child public health, epidemiology of childhood and children’s healthcare and policy
Dr Mireille Toledano

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Dr Mireille Toledano Mohn Chair; Population Child Health & Director-Mohn Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Environmental and spatial epidemiology, with particular interests in non-ionizing radiation, reproductive outcomes, and early life environmental exposures.
Professor Ioanna Tzoulaki

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Professor Ioanna Tzoulaki Professor of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Prediction and prognostic models for chronic diseases, environmental and genetic determinants of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, empirical research methodology, assessment of biases in primary studies and meta-analyses.
Dr Eszter Vamos

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Dr Eszter Vamos Clinical Senior Lecturer, Department of Primary Care and Public Health
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Research interests

My main interests are the epidemiology, prevention and management of long-term condition particularly diabetes and its complications, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Evaluation of public health policy.
Professor Paolo Vineis

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Professor Paolo Vineis Chair in Environmental Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
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Research interests

Molecular epidemiology, exposomics. Social epidemiology, poverty, economic crisis and health. Cancer epidemiology. Models of carcinogenesis. Air pollution. Epigenetics. Metabolomics. Adductomics.
Dr Erik Volz

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Dr Erik Volz Reader in Population Biology of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Interaction of epidemiological dynamics and evolution of pathogens.
Professor Helen Ward

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Professor Helen Ward Professor of Public Health, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Professor Peter White

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Professor Peter White Professor of Public Health Modelling, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
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Research interests

Health systems research and mathematical modelling of the epidemiology of, and (cost-) effectiveness of, interventions against, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), TB, and influenza.
Dr Stephanie Wright

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Dr Stephanie Wright Lecturer in Environmental Toxicology, Environmental Research Group
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Research interests

Methods of microplastic detection, characterisation and quantification using vibrational- and mass spectrometry-based techniques coupled to chemometrics; Sources, transport, and fate of airborne microplastics; Exposure to microplastics in ambient and indoor air; Microplastic toxicology using in vitro models; Particle, fibre and chemical toxicology; Nanoplastics – detection, exposure, and toxicology.