Research Project - DC9

My name is Ina, I am from Germany and I hold a Master’s degree in Applied and Molecular Biotechnology from RWTH Aachen University. Through various research experiences, I developed an interest in public health, vaccine-preventable diseases, and phylodynamic approaches. In September 2025, I joined the VIVACE network to pursue a PhD under the supervision of Dr Simon Dellicour at the Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL) at Université Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium, and co-supervised by Dr. Claire Guinat at INRAE in Toulouse, France. My PhD project will focus on ecological, spatial and phylodynamic analyses to investigate the dispersal of avian influenza under different vaccination strategies. In my free time you will find me in dance class, on the badminton court or in front of my computer!

DC9 — Ecological niche modelling and phylodynamic assessments of avian influenza risk and dispersal to inform vaccination implementation

DC9 links environment and viral evolution to vaccination policy by combining ecological niche modelling with phylodynamic and phylogeographic inference across Morocco, Egypt, and France. It predicts local suitability for AIV circulation, estimates key epidemiological parameters from genomes, reconstructs spatial dispersal, and quantifies how environmental/anthropogenic factors shape lineage spread.

Working hand-in-hand with data providers and modellers (e.g., DC7 and other WP2 DCs), DC9 elucidates whether outbreaks arise from repeated introductions or sustained local transmission, how connected infected regions are, and which drivers matter most—yielding actionable insights for vaccination targeting and movement/biosecurity measures.