Page 21 - CIRN Annual Report 2017-18

UPDATE FROM THE NETWORK LEAD
DR. MARC BRISSON

Modeling and economic studies are Two post-doctoral fellows (Guillaume Béraud, Karsten Hem-
becoming increasingly important to inform pel), and two graduate students (Philippe Lemieux-Mellouki,
and guide public health research and Wade McDonald) are currently working, or will soon begin to
decision-making. The focus of the Modeling work on these two ModERN projects.
and Economics Research Network In addition, ModERN is currently implicated in two other net-
(ModERN) is to conduct epidemiological work projects:
analyses, mathematical modeling, and
economic analyses to study the cost- 1. The Reference Laboratory Network (RLN) study aiming
eff ectiveness and population-level to estimate population immunity to varicella, measles,
eff ectiveness of public health interventions. mumps, in Canada, led by Dr. Shelly Bolotin (University of
Toronto).
In 2017-2018, ModERN completed two studies led by 2. The Provincial Collaborative Network (PCN), for the study
Dr. David Fisman (University of Toronto), resulting in one Engage-HPV aiming to examine human papillomavirus
published manuscript from the IDEA model (Seasonal (HPV) prevention for gay, bisexual and other men who have
infl uenza forecasting in real time using the incidence decay sex with men (MSM) in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal,
with exponential adjustment model, Open Forum of Infectious led by Dr. Ann Burchell (University of Toronto).
Diseases) and one manuscript in preparation about the
eff ectiveness and cost-eff ectiveness of decennial pertussis ModERN’s role in these two studies is to conduct mathematical
booster for adults. Ashleigh McGirr, a graduate student modeling to assess the eff ect of measles, mumps and varicella
supervised by Dr. Fisman, also submitted her PhD thesis in waning immunity and variation in immunity between subgroups,
2017 entitled Pertussis persistence in Ontario, which includes to ultimately predict the risk of large outbreaks in Canada and
the development and calibration of a mathematical model of to examine the eff ectiveness and/or cost-eff ectiveness of spe-
pertussis transmission in the community. cifi c HPV vaccination strategies among gay, bisexual and MSM.
In 2018-2019, ModERN aims to complete CONNECT, the fi rst
There are two ModERN studies that are currently in progress:
population-based study of social and sexual contacts and
1. CONNECT (CONtact and Network Estimation to Control mixing patterns in Canada, and the fi rst worldwide study to
infectious disease Transmission), a study led by Dr. measure both social and sexual contacts within the same
Marc Brisson (Laval University), aiming to measure the study. By making data from CONNECT available to researchers
social and sexual contacts of the Canadian population across Canada, the contact data can be an impetus for novel
and making these data available to researchers across infectious-disease modelling techniques and used to address
Canada. new immunization policy questions. ModERN also aims to
2. A study led by Dr. Alexander Doroshenko (University develop and calibrate the agent-based model of pertussis.
of Alberta) aiming to examine the eff ectiveness of Finally, ModERN will also develop a plan for new studies as part
interventions to control pertussis, using agent-based of the ModERN network and in collaboration with other CIRN
modeling, with emphasis on maternal immunization. networks.

CO-INVESTIGATORS

Michel Alary Benoit Dervaux Niel Hens Nathaniel Osgood
Université Laval Université Droit et Santé University of Hasselt University of Saskatchewan
Lille 2
Philippe Beutels Erin Kirwin Beate Sander
University of Anterwerpen Alexander Doroshenko Alberta Health OAHPP
University of Alberta
Marie Claude Boily Philippe Lemieux- Chantal Sauvageau
Imperial College London Gaston De Serres Mellouki Université Laval
Université Laval Université Laval
Shelly Bolotin Larry Svenson
Public Health Ontario Eve Dubé Salah Mahmud Alberta Health
Université Laval University of Manitoba
Guillaume Béraud Jordan Tustin
Université Droit et Santé David Fisman Wade McDonald Ryerson University
Lille 2 and Université Laval University of Toronto University of Saskatchewan
Jianhong Wu
Natasha Crowcroft Jane Heffernan Gina Ogilvie York University
Public Health Ontario York University University of British
Columbia
Shelley Deeks Karen Hempel
Public Health Ontario University of Alberta
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