Colleagues from across the University of Oxford joined Professor Adam Kucharski this week for a seminar on using routine pandemic control measures to uncover epidemic drivers.
Hosted by PSI, the seminar launched a new monthly series of events in Oxford to explore interdisciplinary research in pandemic sciences.
Non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as contact tracing and regular testing in workplaces, were used widely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the main purpose of these interventions was generally to reduce transmission, Professor Kucharski illustrated how data generated while implementing these interventions could inform key knowledge gaps in our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology, which could in turn, improve the design of control measures.
Reflecting on estimates that his team generated during the COVID-19 pandemic using data collected from these routine control measures, Professor Kucharski explored case studies from study populations familiar with implementing interventions and generating epidemiological data, such as healthcare workers, through to novel and unexpected settings, such as Premier League football players and international travellers.
Research from Professor Kucharski and colleagues also examined data from non-healthcare settings, for example workplaces like the English Premier League, SpaceX and the Crick Institute, which provided estimates on reinfection protection from antibodies, as well as detailed insights into the infection kinetics of each new SARS-CoV-2 variant.
He explained that control strategies can not only mitigate outbreaks but also provide opportunities to learn more about infection dynamics, immunity and global transmission patterns.
"We have lots of examples of control measures that have given us valuable understanding of pandemics," said Professor Kucharski.
"But we need to identify more of these feedback loops where control measures can improve our understanding, which in turn give us better control in the future."
Professor Adam Kucharski is an epidemiologist and mathematician at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) where he is co-director of the Centre for Epidemic Preparedness and Response.
He also writes regularly about science for a wider audience, with his latest book, The Rules of Contagion, named a Science Book of the Year by The Times, the Guardian, and the Financial Times.
New PSI seminar series
The monthly PSI seminar series aims to highlight a diverse range of research themes across the breadth of pandemic sciences, and will feature both external and internal speakers.
Alongside the seminars, colleagues have the opportunity to meet with invited speakers to foster deeper discussions and explore collaboration on future work.
Launching the series, PSI Seminar Committee Chair and Wellcome Trust Early Career Fellow James Hay said: "Our Institute is unusual in that it is so multidisciplinary, yet everyone is focused on solving similar problems in pandemic preparedness and response.
"Our main objective with the seminar series is for colleagues across Oxford to learn about the cutting edge of pandemic sciences research – we want to hear from speakers who are moving our field in new and exciting directions."
For any enquiries about future seminars, please contact events.psi@ndm.ox.ac.uk.