Alex Washburne, Research Scientist

"How can we utilize the many data streams for wildlife disease surveillance - seroprevalence, PCR testing, molecular phylogenetics, spillover events, and more - to predict and mitigate spillover risks over space, time, and multiple pathogen/reservoir species?"

I connect mathematical models with statistical inferences, especially inferences on phylogenetic trees, to simplify the problem of pathogen spillover. If we can find lineages of organisms with common behavior in a dataset, then we can simplify our question by asking: what traits or other features do members of this lineage share? If, by connecting models of pathogens percolating from wildlife to people with inferences we make in spillover count datasets, we can identify pinch points in the pathway to spillover, then we can point out pinch points and weaknesses for management interventions of spillover.

Masters & PhD, 2015
Quantitative & Computational Biology
Princeton University, New Jersey

Bachelor Degrees, 2010
Mathematics and Biology
University of New Mexico

Website: www.alexwashburne.com