Professor James Wood

Head of Department of Veterinary Medicine 
Alborada Professor of Equine and Farm Animal ScienceInfection dynamics and control of diseases.

My research interests focus on the dynamic processes represented in all infectious diseases, at scales from the cellular and sub-cellular through to the more traditionally studied epidemiological scales of the population and metapopulation. Mathematical modelling and more traditional epidemiological approaches are combined with detailed molecular studies of pathogen and host in a multidisciplinary framework.

All studies of any infection must also consider the ecology of the host as well as of the infection itself and its pathogenesis. I have particular interests in the epidemiological dynamics of various virus infections of humans and other animals, including bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, African horse sickness, canine rabies and emergent lyssavirus and henipavirus infections and the methods needed to study them. Bovine tuberculosis poses interesting challenges at the interface of science and policy and is an important disease and challenge. Funded studies include the emergence of zoonotic viruses in sub-Saharan Africa and rabies dynamics. A number of students work on the dynamics of emergent viral infections in bats, in particular Eidolon helvum, in Ghana. In addition to my research interests, I am also involved in the Cambridge-Africa programme, which focuses on building links between Cambridge and African Institutions and which aims to strengthen Africa's own capacity for a sustainable research.

My position and research is generously supported by The ALBORADA Trust .