A Community Modeling Approach to Understanding the Ecology of Lyme disease
Research Overview
Since the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) was discovered to be responsible for the transmission of the pathogen (Borrelia burgdorferi) that causes Lyme disease, the geographic distribution of I. scapularis has expanded. The mechanisms responsible for this range expansion of I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi are not completely understood. Previous approaches to elucidating these mechanisms have primarily been limited to determining the roles that individual host species play in the transmission of B. burgdorferi by I. scapularis. More recently, the use of a community framework to examine the ecological relationships involved in this tick-borne disease has gained attention. However, there needs to be better integration of knowledge to identify the mechanisms associated with the invasion and establishment of I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi.
My overall research objective is to advance our understanding the mechanisms involved in the invasion and establishment of I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi by utilizing a community framework via individual-based modeling. While there has been a previous individual-based model created to simulate the effects of changes in host density on the prevalence of infected ticks, this approach focused on the differences in tick-host-landscape interactions with a hypothetical pathogen and did not distinguish between differences in host reservoir competence. Tick-borne diseases are difficult to study in nature due to the complexity of the interactions between tick, pathogens and wildlife hosts’; however, my proposed modelling approach will allow for experimental manipulation by way of the model to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms that result in patterns seen in nature.
To this end, I am using computational modeling utilizing data collected over the past 40 years. This involves synthesizing the data found in the literature on the population dynamics of I. scapularis in relation to its host community and habitat. With this, I am using an individual-based modeling approach to simulate tick-host-environment interactions from which I will explore the mechanisms involved in the invasion and establishment of I. scapularis as well as the maintenance of the pathogen B. burgdorferi.
My overall research objective is to advance our understanding the mechanisms involved in the invasion and establishment of I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi by utilizing a community framework via individual-based modeling. While there has been a previous individual-based model created to simulate the effects of changes in host density on the prevalence of infected ticks, this approach focused on the differences in tick-host-landscape interactions with a hypothetical pathogen and did not distinguish between differences in host reservoir competence. Tick-borne diseases are difficult to study in nature due to the complexity of the interactions between tick, pathogens and wildlife hosts’; however, my proposed modelling approach will allow for experimental manipulation by way of the model to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms that result in patterns seen in nature.
To this end, I am using computational modeling utilizing data collected over the past 40 years. This involves synthesizing the data found in the literature on the population dynamics of I. scapularis in relation to its host community and habitat. With this, I am using an individual-based modeling approach to simulate tick-host-environment interactions from which I will explore the mechanisms involved in the invasion and establishment of I. scapularis as well as the maintenance of the pathogen B. burgdorferi.
Upcoming Events
Past Events
Past Events
- ESA 2017 Portland, Oregon
- Title: Exploring tick-host associations using a spatially and temporally explicit agent-based model
- COS 16: Modeling
- Monday, August 7, 2017: 1:00 -5 PM .
- ESA 2016 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
- Title: Host diversity and population dynamics of Ixodes scapularis populations: a meta-analysis
- Late Breaking Poster: Parasitism And Host-Parasite Interactions
- Slot: PS 49: Friday, August 12, 2016: 8:30 -10:30 AM PS 46.