Dr. James Wood

Biography

James Wood is an applied mathematician with a focus on evolutionary and immunological processes and cost-effectiveness evaluations of disease interventions. He completed his honours degree and PhD at the University of Queensland, specializing in mathematical physics. His research has primarily concentrated on respiratory viruses and vaccine-preventable diseases, including tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections. He has published over 80 papers in international journals, emphasizing the impact of cost-effectiveness related to vaccines and epidemiological studies for disease elimination and parameter estimation, particularly for measles. During 2020, he was heavily involved in the COVID-19 response at both state and national levels, providing support for responses in the Philippines and Malaysia. His current research interests involve integrating genetic and immunological elements into epidemiological models to account for trends in pathogen resistance and population immunity, with applications to infections such as COVID-19, influenza, and gonorrhea. He leads projects funded by NSW Health and the federal department of health, and he is involved with the WHO on modelling contracts led by the University of Melbourne and the Doherty Institute.

Research Interests