ProfessorNuno Faria

My research focuses on understanding the emergence, evolution and spread of viral pathogens, and on translating this knowledge into better tools for epidemic preparedness, biosurveillance, and public-health response. We integrate pathogen genomics, epidemiology, serology, mathematical modelling and ecological data, with a particular focus on mosquito-borne and emerging viruses.

Core research themes of our team include:

• Genomic Epidemiology & Phylodynamics: Developing and applying evolutionary and epidemiological models to reconstruct viral emergence, spatial spread and lineage dynamics, particularly for dengue, Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever and Oropouche viruses.

• Population Immunity, Serology & Transmission Dynamics: Integrating serological surveys, cohort studies, genomic data and mathematical models to understand population immunity, susceptibility, force of infection, serotype dynamics and the conditions that allow viruses and viral lineages to emerge and persist.

• Mobility, Climate & Ecological Drivers of Emergence: Investigating how human mobility, climate variability, urbanisation, vector ecology, land-use change and population immunity interact to shape the timing, magnitude and geographical spread of epidemics.

• Metagenomics, Genomic Surveillance & Epidemic Intelligence: Developing pathogen-agnostic sequencing approaches, portable laboratory methods, analytical pipelines and real-time surveillance frameworks that enable earlier detection and characterisation of emerging infectious-disease threats.

• Global Surveillance & Capacity Strengthening: Co-developing sustainable genomic, serological and diagnostic surveillance with partners in countries affected by emerging and endemic infectious diseases, including through the DeZi Network, with an emphasis on translating data into locally actionable public-health intelligence.