Introduction

Our mission

The MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling will be an international resource and centre of excellence for research on the epidemiological analysis and modelling of novel infectious disease outbreaks. It will build upon a world-leading research reputation to undertake applied collaborative work with national and international agencies to support policy planning and response operations against emerging infectious disease threats (such as avian influenza strains with human pandemic potential). 

Strategy and Objectives

1. to establish an international centre for translating state of the art epidemiological analysis and modelling research into practical policy guidance for planning for and responding to novel infectious disease outbreaks.
2. to establish a standing Outbreak Analysis Unit (OAU) which has the capacity to respond to rapidly developing needs for real-time analysis and predictive modelling.
3. to build long-term collaborative relationships with national and international public health agencies and facilitate skills transfer and capacity building in those bodies.
4. to develop a unique global integrated epidemic analysis and modelling platform, and apply this to influenza pandemic preparedness planning in different regions and countries.
5. to accelerate progress in identifying the ecological, biological and social determinants of pathogen emergence and consequent outbreak dynamics through an integrated and multidisciplinary research programme.