Research Project - DC8

I am Yanshi, born and raised in India, and have a background in Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry. I moved to United Kingdom in 2021 to obtain my Master’s in Public Health. Thereafter, I gained professional experience in infectious disease epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College and the UK Health Security Agency. In September 2025, I started my PhD in the VIVACE network at Utrecht University, The Netherlands under the supervision of Dr. Egil A.J. Fischer and Dr. Gerdien van Schaik. My project is focused on risk-based and cost-effective HPAI surveillance upon implementation of vaccination in the European (epizootic) context. Reading, hiking and exploring new places are some the things that I do in my free time.

DC8 — Risk-based and cost-effective surveillance upon implementation of vaccination in the European (epizootic) context

DC8 builds a decision framework for surveillance when vaccination is introduced in European epizootic settings. Using data from Dutch layer farm pilots and complementary French/Italian contexts, the project models how vaccination changes transmission, detection performance, and required sampling to prove freedom—co-developing scenarios with DC7 and DC10.

Because poultry types, production systems, biosecurity, and environmental risks vary widely, DC8 tailors model inputs to regional realities. Outputs include simulation tools, cost/benefit comparisons of surveillance strategies, and clear, risk-based recommendations to support Member States contemplating vaccination.