^The Lloyd-Smith laboratory at UCLA
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Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of California, Los Angeles Research on Infectious Disease Dynamics We study the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of infectious disease in animal and human populations, with emphasis on zoonotic and emerging pathogens. By combining theoretical models and data, we aim to deepen our understanding of fundamental principles of disease transmission and adaptation, and apply those principles to interpret observed patterns, uncover driving mechanisms, and design effective control policies. Zoonoses – i.e. diseases that transmit from animals to humans – account for over 60% of all human pathogens and 75% of emerging pathogens, but key aspects of zoonotic disease dynamics remain poorly understood. We have projects focusing on each phase of the zoonotic emergence process: o Dynamics of zoonotic infections in their wildlife reservoirs o Spillover transmission from animals to humans o Outbreak dynamics of newly introduced pathogens o Adaptation of pathogens to new host species This work spans a range of pathogen-host systems, including: o Leptospirosis in California sea lions o Monkeypox at the wildlife-human interface o SARS and other emerging diseases in human populations. We also conduct research, mostly via collaborations, on human diseases with global public health impacts, such as HIV and tuberculosis. Several conceptual themes run throughout this work: o Heterogeneities among hosts are a crucial determinant of disease dynamics, and are the focal point of targeted control policies. We are particularly interested in the phenomenon of ‘superspreading’, including its social and biological causes and its influence on the stochastic dynamics of pathogen spread and evolution. o Integration across disciplines and across spatial scales is a fundamental and exciting aspect of this work. Current projects pursue links between population dynamics of disease and such fields as immunology, molecular evolution, phylogenetics, population genetic theory, parasitology and oceanography.