Modeling and analyzing the combined effects of disease and population dynamics
is important in understanding the effects of mechanisms such as pathogen transmission
and direct competition between host species on the distribution and abundance of different
species in an ecological community. Mathematical analysis of such models in a
spatially explicit...
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic viral disease native to the African continent. Outbreaks tend to occur in the wet seasons, and can affect numerous mammalian species including African buffalo. It is debated how the virus survives the inter-epidemic period when it is not detected in mammalian populations,...
In this dissertation I explore the application of two novel modeling techniques for improving risk analysis of vector-borne disease and discuss their potential use in integrating environmental risk assessment that guides environmental and public health decisions. Techniques for analyzing risk have been considered inadequate due to a lack of understanding...
Humans and viral disease are inextricably intertwined. Viral disease plays an immeasurable role in human life, from the disease and economic burden associated with every facet of contending with human viral disease, to managing the consequences of viral disease in organisms important to our food supply, economy, and entertainment. The...
Plant viruses have been instrumental in our understanding of the biophysical properties pertaining to non-enveloped icosahedral virus particles. A substantial amount of research has been performed over five decades on Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV), arguably one of the most extensively studied icosahedral plant viruses and the type-member of the...
The Pacific Northwest (Oregon and Washington in the United States and British Columbia in Canada) is one of the major producers of red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) in the world. The expansion of growing area with these crops has resulted in the emergence of new...