MITACS to help combat infectious diseases in Africa

MITACS is organizing a three-day meeting in Kampala, Uganda to explore the use of mathematical models to combat the transmission of infectious diseases. Leveraging expertise developed during the 2003 SARS crisis, the MITACS Network of Centres of Excellence plans to apply mathematical modelling to determine decisions surrounding the use of quarantines to prevent the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Modelling will simulate the outbreak of a disease in a specific population, enabling joint teams of scientists to control and contain infectious disease outbreaks. The November 11-13 meeting involves researchers from MITACS, Makerere Univ (Uganda), National Univ of S&T (Zimbabwe), Univ of Botswana, South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis and the AIDS Supporting Organization....