SPRC Workshops & Conferences

The Sociobehavioral and Prevention Research Core is composed of an interdisciplinary group of biomedical, social, and behavioral scientists. Conference listings will be updated regularly.

Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases: Tools of the Trade

Wed, Feb 13: Symposium (8:30am - 5:00pm)

A full day symposium sponsored by:

Scientific Program on Mathematical Modeling for HIV/STD Research
UW/FHCRC Center for AIDS Research
FHCRC Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute

February 13, 2008
Talaris Conference Center in Laurelhurst

Description:

This workshop will provide a brief but comprehensive review of the range of methodological tools used by researchers to model the transmission of infectious diseases through populations. There is a wide variety of methods in use, from simple deterministic models that can be solved analytically or implemented in a spreadsheet, to more complex deterministic models that require specialized computer packages, to stochastic models that permit networks and other heterogeneities to be represented but are very computationally intensive. The workshop will review the theory, computer programs, and computational resources needed for each, with example applications taken from local research projects. The workshop is targeted to interested researchers with no expertise in modeling. The symposium will feature four local modelers, and the keynote address will be given by Professor Bryan Grenfell, who chairs the NIH Modeling Infectious Disease Agent Systems (MIDAS) steering committee.

Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

For additional information, contact Mary Lou Gamba, mgamba@fhcrc.org

To view the full program, click here.

Disparities in HIV-STIs: Impact on African-American and African-Born Populations

Disparities Seminar Press Release, March 12, 2007

On Thursday, March 8, 2007, the Sociobehavioral and Prevention Research Core hosted a seminar on "Disparities in HIV-STIs: Impacts on African-American and African-Born Populations." The seminar included a morning session featuring nationally-known speakers who conduct research on health disparities (see attached flyer) followed by a hosted lunch and an afternoon working session focused on the policy implications of these disparities here in Seattle and King County (see attached agenda).

The morning session featured talks by:

Martina Morris, PhD, University of Washington, Sociology
"Disparities in HIV/STIs: An Historical Overview of Trends and Explanations"
Adaora Adimora, MD, MPH, University of North Carolina, Medicine and Epidemiology
"Social Context, Sexual Networks, and Racial Disparities in STI Rates"
Rucker Johnson, PhD, University of California, Berkeley, Public Policy
"The War on Drugs, Incarceration, & HIV-STI"

The afternoon working session focused on the current research on disparities in HIV-STIs and included a presentation on disparities here in King County.

Jim Kent, MS, Public Health - Seattle & King County
"HIV/AIDS Statistics among African-Born and African-Americans in King County"

The working session then addressed the questions: what does this research mean for us here in King County? How can we translate these research findings into prevention programs and policies that work? And, How can we work together to address disparities in HIV-STIs here in King County?

The afternoon session was co-sponsored by the CFAS Community Advisory Board which includes members from BABES Network-YWCA, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, and POCAAN.

Video of Seminar Speakers Here - Part 1
Video of Seminar Speakers Here - Part 2

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