Dr Kristyna Rysava

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Dr Kristyna Rysava

School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick

Scientific Background

Research Interests

I am an Assistant Professor appointed jointly between the School of Life Sciences and the Mathematics Institute. My background is in quantitative and computational ecology with interest in evolutionary, environmental, and social determinants driving disease dynamics. The specific focus of my research is to investigate how heterogeneity in environment, life-history, and behaviour of hosts and pathogens modulate contact rates and disease transmission; examine trade-offs that limit pathogen virulence and host preference; and characterise the patterns of outbreak variation across time and space. I typically use a combination of empirical field and serological data, large-scale experiments, computational simulations, and mathematical and statistical modelling to predict likely development patterns to assess the potential benefits for management and surveillance strategies for disease systems.

Research Groups

Environment & Ecology Cluster

Microbiology & Infectious Disease

Quantitative, Systems & Engineering Biology

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Inclusive, transparent, organised

Provision of Training

I will assist you in getting the technical skills that you need and are keen on learning to conduct your research at any stage of your PhD. I will require you to write a brief literature review and a proposal at the beginning of the second year outlining your PhD aspirations. This will serve as a foundation to your own independence in terms of consolidating ideas on what interests you, how to ask scientific questions about things that interest you, and how to address these questions in a tractable way.

Progression Monitoring and Management

Everything we do, we do in relation to others. As such, I believe that your progression is a joint endeavour. At the start of your PhD, we will develop a progress plan, tailored to your needs, expectations and interests, to keep all parties accountable to each other. We will meet on regular basis, to discuss your research and update our priors on next steps.

Communication

I expect and guarantee clarity and openness in our communication, both interpersonal and scientific. We will have ample opportunity for discussion in-person and over email during our 1:1 and lab meetings, and during my office hours. I care about maintaining each lab member’s psychological, emotional, and physical safety. As such, I discourage students from labouring away outside work hours.

Meetings

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per week. These meetings will be a mixture of face-to-face and via video chat or telephone. I am usually contactable for an instant response 1 or 2 days per week.

Work Patterns

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings) I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 weeks' notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5,000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Investigating dengue virus dynamics in epidemiologically complex environments

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Investigating dengue virus dynamics in epidemiologically complex environments

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Erin Gorsich

University of Registration: University of Warwick

BBSRC Research Themes:

Understanding the Rules of Life (Immunology, Systems Biology)
Integrated Understanding of Health (Diet and Health)

Project Outline

Dengue, a vector-borne disease, puts nearly four billion people worldwide at risk of infection. Spread primarily by Aedes mosquitos, a suitable habitat favouring optimal extrinsic incubation period and population growth is required for dengue virus transmission. Many areas, where the virus was not previously reported, already fall within the geographic range of the vector and favourable climatological conditions and are now experiencing sporadic outbreaks. In addition, more places are predicted to be at risk as a consequence of changing climate. An influx of infectious humans combined with unpredictable weather patterns are likely to play a critical role in determining if and to what extent dengue introductions will result in secondary transmission, but a context-specific, actionable assessment is missing. In addition, highly heterogenous host immunity profiles resulting from previous exposures to different dengue virus serotypes further complicate forecasting future outbreaks and planning of intervention strategies such as vaccines. Using a wide range of data sources, including time-specific serological data, notification case data and climatological information, the student will develop a series of catalytic and time-series susceptible-infected-recovered (TSIR) models to estimate transmission intensity and the level of population immunity in different parts of the world. These assessments will be further used to project likely developments upon introduction of vaccination protocols as well as to calculate the hazard of an introduction sparking an epidemic in novel settings.

Deciphering the epidemiological scales of rabies transmission: Understanding principles governing effective control strategies

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Deciphering the epidemiological scales of rabies transmission: Understanding principles governing effective control strategies

Secondary Supervisor(s): Professor Mike Tildesley

University of Registration: University of Warwick

BBSRC Research Themes:

Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Animal Health and Welfare)
Understanding the Rules of Life (Systems Biology)

Project Outline

In December 2015, WHO and partners launched a global campaign to reach zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. This goal was further supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, through a proposed investment in human post-exposure vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic has, however, disrupted many existing public health services, leading to a mass resurgence in rabies cases and deaths across the Global South. In most rabies-affected settings, local elimination is actively attempted with only limited or short-term results being commonplace. In addition, incomplete surveillance further hampers epidemiological assessment and subsequent management planning, making transitional phases such as emergence and die-offs difficult to observe. Reported long-term persistence of canine rabies at remarkably low incidence is associated with generally high spatial connectivity and variability in the force and re-emergence of infection between settings, resulting from inconsistent control efforts and high demographic turnover. Using spatially and temporally detailed data on rabies incidence and vaccination collected over the last 10 years, the student will develop a series of progressively more complex rabies transmission models fitted to the partially observed case data to identify the epidemiological and demographic drivers of the disease dynamics, leading to more accurate predictions of rabies spread and insights into the principles of effective interventions. The resultant framework can be utilised to answer a set of theoretical and applied questions that will improve our understanding of rabies transmission and the impact of existing interventions in the local system. Such results are anticipated to provide applicable guidelines for decision making in the context of vaccination planning and rabies surveillance.