Project: Sample size determination for within-host animal studies of infection
McVernon Group
Within-host animal studies are routinely used to determine the efficacy of a treatment for clearing a bacterial infection in a host. Determining adequate sample sizes for powering these studies is often complicated, given the various dynamics at play which are often not well understood. Instead, in designing an experiment, we are typically limited by the amount of resources we have available, and attempt to allocate these resources in the “best” way, to “learn” the most about the within-host dynamics.
In this project, we will explore the use of an approximate, likelihood-free inference method with simulations from the model to evaluate the optimal experimental designs. These tools will subsequently be applied to these within-host experimental studies, to derive the optimal allocation of resources based on different experimental aims.
This project will be best suited to someone with strong coding skills, and studying a degree in mathematics or statistics eg MSc (Mathematics and Statistics), in applied mathematics, stochastic processes or statistics
Contact project supervisor for further
information and application enquiries
McVernon Group
13 vacancies
Professor Jodie McVernon is a physician with subspecialty qualifications in public health and vaccinology. She has extensive expertise in clinical vaccine trials, epidemiologic studies and mathematical modelling of infectious diseases, gained at the University of Oxford, Health Protection Agency London and the University of Melbourne. Her work focuses on the application of a range of cross-disciplinary methodological approaches, including mathematical and computational models, to synthesise insights from basic biology, epidemiological data and sociological research. These models advance understanding of the observed epidemiology of infectious diseases and inform understanding of optimal interventions for disease control.
McVernon Group Current Projects
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Sample size determination for within-host animal studies of infection
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Bias in vaccine effectiveness studies
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Measuring the association between influenza presentations and invasive group A Streptococcus infections (iGAS)
Master of Biomedical Science
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Buruli ulcers’ Most Wanted – Understanding the mosquito associated with the flesh-eating bacteria, Mycobacterium ulcerans.
Master of Biomedical Science
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Exploring the association between hepatitis C and invasive group A streptococcus infections (iGAS)
Master of Biomedical Science
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Invasive Streptococcus A – piecing together clinical, genomic and public health aspects of the puzzle
PhD/MPhil
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Optimising use of existing and emerging SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics to support the public health response to COVID-19
PhD/MPhil
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Modelling spatial and demographic heterogeneity of malaria transmission risk
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Epidemiology of Scarlet Fever in Victoria
Master of Biomedical Science
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Optimal design of competitive mixture experiments
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Investigating the household risk of group A Streptococcus infection
Master of Biomedical Science
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Understanding the impact of new testing for infectious diseases
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Acute respiratory infection presentations and prescribing in primary care
Master of Biomedical Science
Research degrees at the Doherty Institute are administered by the University of Melbourne.