Virus Competition at Multiple Scales

Viruses compete and are subject to natural selection at multiple levels: within-cell, within-host and within-population (of hosts). We looked at how viruses can optimally exploit their hosts and how this behaviour may influence the most successful strategy at the between-host, or epidemiological level. I will present a fairly general way to consistently combine models of disease process and disease spread with the goal of understanding the net selection pressure on a model virus. The method is illustrated using two popular models at the within- and between-host levels.

Refreshments will be served at 2:45 p.m. (Lounge, MATX 1115).