Contact details
Dr Thomas S Churcher
Junior Research Fellow
School of Public Health
G35
Medical School
St Mary's Campus
Email:
Dr Thomas S Churcher
My main research focuses on the use of mathematical models to understand the epidemiology and control of parasitic infections of humans. The aim is to produce policy relevant research that is useful to public health professionals tackling these deadly diseases. Of particular interest is the development of models merging population genetics with population dynamics to explore and predict the evolutionary response of the parasite to control interventions. My work spans a number of different parasitic infections as I believe much can be learnt from drawing parallels between different host-parasite systems.
Malaria
As part of TransMalariaBloc we are investigating how the biology of the malaria parasite within the mosquito will influence some of the new transmission-blocking interventions currently under development. Using mathematical models that recreate the population dynamics of the parasite we are trying to provide simple guidelines to help to fully evaluate the effectiveness of these important new tools.
With Azra Ghani other members of the malaria research group we have developed a full transmission model of malaria which can be used to optimise the integration of multiple control interventions. A version of this simulation model can be explored here. My work has focused on understanding intervention strategies which target the mosquito vector, to see how indoor spaying, bednets and these new transmission blocking drugs and vaccines may be best used to control the disease.
Filariasis
Together with Maria-Gloria Basáñez I am developing mathematical frameworks in order help identify and predict the impact of drug resistance on the mass chemotherapy control programmes currently in operation, be it human onchocerciasis or lymphatic filariasis. Recently published in PNAS, we have devised novel statistical and mathematical tools to distinguish clearly between natural variation in host responses to treatment and truly atypical responses indicative of drug resistance (Figure 1). These analytical tools shall then be used to design and interpret molecular studies investigating the presence of molecular markers associated with anthelmintic resistance.
Figure 1. The variability in post-treatment onchocerciasis microfilarial repopulation rates among hosts after (A) their first ivermectin treatment and (B) their first 4 rounds of ivermectin treatment. Individual lines represent the modelled dynamics for each host in the dataset. Lines in both panels are colored according to the cumulative distribution of responses seen at year 1.Lowest 50% (dark blue), 50–60% (dark green), 60–70% (blue), 70–80% (green), 80–90% (yellow), and 90–100% (red).
Schistosomiasis and soli-transmitted helminthiases
I work closely with two large-scale parasite control programmes, the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) and the Partnership for Child Development. This association has provided me with an understanding of how mathematical epidemiology can be useful to public health professionals and help optimise a programmes success. I currently co-supervise a PhD student, Mr Mike French, who works at the SCI quantifying the impact of their control activities are having on the disease and who is expected to complete his PhD in 2011.
Other responsibilities
I am co-director of the Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases Short Course run by the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology. This highly successful intensive 2 week course is aimed at public health professionals, policy-makers and researchers, outlining what they need to know about this fast-moving field. In addition to teaching on this course I also lecture to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, including the MSc in Modern Epidemiology.
