DrNora Schmit

I am a research fellow in the department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology. My research focuses on mathematical modelling of infectious diseases with relevance to public health policy; examining the interaction between transmission dynamics, immunity processes and natural history in driving population-level impact of control strategies.

In my Imperial College Research Fellowship supported by the Rosetrees Trust, I am investigating the potential public health impact of and target product profiles for future Epstein-Barr virus vaccines. The Epstein-Barr virus causes infectious mononucleosis and can also lead to long-term chronic disease, notably some types of cancer and multiple sclerosis. My current research focuses on further investigating the relationship between infectious mononucleosis and a broad spectrum of chronic disease outcomes, and developing the first global mathematical model of Epstein-Barr virus disease burden and vaccine impact. My research interests also include infection-associated sequelae more broadly, such as the relationship between malaria and the childhood cancer Burkitt lymphoma and the incidence of post-acute sequelae after disease outbreaks.

I previously used mathematical modelling to evaluate the public health impact and cost-effectiveness of malaria interventions such as the new R21/Matrix-M vaccine. In my postdoctoral research, I explored different strategies for malaria eradication, by looking at how limited resources and budgets can be optimally allocated in time, geographically and to different interventions to reduce global malaria burden. I completed my PhD on modelling treatment interventions for hepatitis B in sub-Saharan Africa at Imperial College, and also contributed to the COVID-19 response by researching the effect of the pandemic on healthcare capacity.