Dr Erin Gorsich

Reader

Email: Erin.Gorsich@warwick.ac.uk

Phone: 024 765 23797

Office: B138

Disease Ecology Research webpage

Research Clusters

Environment & Ecology

Plant & Agricultural Biosciences

Microbiology & Infectious Disease

Warwick Centres and GRPs

The Zeeman Institue for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Institute for Global Sustainable Development.

Vacancies and Opportunities

For PhD and postdoctoral opportunities, please see Teaching/Student Supervision section of this page.

For interest in potential collaborations, please contact me at the above email address.

Research Interests

I am a disease ecologist and epidemiologist at the School of Life Sciences and Zeeman Institute for infectious disease epidemiology. I am also a fellow in Warwick’s Institute for Global Sustainable Development.

My lab’s research aims to understand the drivers, spread, and consequences of infectious disease. Many of our projects are motivated by conservation or wildlife/livestock health applications. For example, understanding how human-driven changes to the environment influence wildlife disease or the risk of zoonotic (animal-origin) disease outbreaks?

Our research integrates theory and data to understand disease ecology questions. We aim to understand how host-parasite or species interactions scale-up to inform population, community, and ecosystem-level patterns. We believe both epidemiology and ecology are improved by theory in all its forms: from conceptual to mathematical models. Models help clarify our assumptions and identify the essential mechanisms in often complex systems.

We are a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary group. Solutions to global challenges require a multidisciplinary approach, and as a result, our collaborators include veterinarians, mathematicians, statisticians, molecular biologists, and social scientists.

Funded projects in my group include:

1. Multi-scale infection dynamics from cells to landscapes: foot-and-mouth disease viruses in African buffalo

This project hypothesizes that viral transmission dynamics and population structure are predictable from phenotypic variation among viral lineages. It will combine data and mechanistic models across cellular, individual host, population, and landscape scales to understand viral spread.

2. Eco-evolutionary dynamics of infectious diseases in host (desert bighorn sheep) population networks.

Bighorn sheep populations are threatened by habitat fragmentation and disease spillover from domestic livestock. This study investigates effects of host population isolation on genetic diversity, immunity, susceptibility to infectious disease, and ultimately, population performance in desert bighorn sheep (DBH, Ovis canadensis nelsoni).

3. Identifying barriers to disease transmission by tracking their vectors: landscape genetics of mosquitoes responsible for Rift Valley fever virus.

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a re-emerging, zoonotic mosquito-borne disease that causes both localised and widespread outbreaks in most of the African continent and the southeast of the Arabic Peninsula. Landscape genetics offers an opportunity to characterise the environmental and landscape factors that influence the movement of RVF’s mosquito vectors. If these factors also limit dispersal, then they have the potential to influence the size of local outbreaks and influence the dissemination of infection more broadly.

4. Mapping and modelling the spread of wild bird AI risks posed to poultry at the national scale in the US.

Wild waterfowl are well documented reservoirs of avian influenza virus (AIV) and an important potential source of infection for domestic poultry. The continued emergence of highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza, the potential for their introduction into North America, and the recent introduction and rapid spread of three highly pathogenic avian influenzas (i.e. H5N2, H5N8, H5N1) into North American highlights the need for additional analysis. Using national surveillance data, we are creating a data-driven national map of spill-over risk from wild waterfowl to poultry populations.

Biography

2021-present. Associate Professor. School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick
2018-present. Affiliate Faculty. Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University.
2018-2021. Assistant Professor. School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick
2017-2018. Research Scientist. Department of Biology, Colorado State University
2016-2017. Postdoctoral Fellow. Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University
2014-2016. Postdoctoral Fellow. Department of Biology, Colorado State University
2008-2014. Ph.D. Oregon State University, Department of Integrative Biology
2008. B.S. Denison University, Department of Biology, magna cum laude.

Publications

de Klerk, Joanna N., Tildesley, Michael J., Robbins, Adam and Gorsich, Erin E. (2024) Parameterisation of a bluetongue virus mathematical model using a systematic literature review. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 232 . 106328. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106328 ISSN 0167-5877.

de Klerk, Joanna N., Tildesley, Michael J., Labuschagne, Karien and Gorsich, Erin E. (2024) Modelling bluetongue and African horse sickness vector (Culicoides spp.) distribution in the Western Cape in South Africa using random forest machine learning. Parasites & Vectors, 17 . 354. doi:10.1186/s13071-024-06446-8 ISSN 1756-3305.

de Klerk, Joanna N., Tildesley, Michael J., Labuschagne, Karien and Gorsich, Erin E. (2024) Modelling bluetongue and African horse sickness vector (Culicoides spp.) distribution in the Western Cape in South Africa using random forest machine learning. Parasites & Vectors, 17 (1). 354. doi:10.1186/s13071-024-06446-8 ISSN 1756-3305.

Macdonald, Joshua C., Gulbudak, Hayriye, Beechler, Brianna, Gorsich, Erin E., Gubbins, Simon, Pérez-Martin, Eva and Jolles, Anna E. (2024) Within-host viral growth and immune response rates predict foot-and-mouth disease virus transmission dynamics for African buffalo. The American Naturalist, 204 (2). pp. 133-146. doi:10.1086/730703 ISSN 0003-0147.

de Klerk, Joanna N., Gorsich, Erin E., Grewar, John D., Atkins, Benjamin D., Tennant, Warren, Labuschagne, Karien and Tildesley, Michael J. (2023) Modelling African horse sickness emergence and transmission in the South African control area using a deterministic metapopulation approach. PLOS Computational Biology, 19 (9). e1011448. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011448 ISSN 1553-7358.

Rushmore, Julie, Beechler, Brianna R., Tavalire, Hannah, Gorsich, Erin E., Charleston, Bryan, Devan‐Song, Anne, Glidden, Caroline K. and Jolles, Anna E. (2023) The heterogeneous herd : drivers of close‐contact variation in African buffalo and implications for pathogen invasion. Ecology and Evolution, 13 (8). e10447. doi:10.1002/ece3.10447 ISSN 2045-7758.

Beck-Johnson, L. M., Gorsich, Erin E., Hallman, C., Tildesley, M. J., Miller, R. S. and Webb, C. T. (2023) An exploration of within-herd dynamics of a transboundary livestock disease : a foot and mouth disease case study. Epidemics, 42 . 100668. doi:10.1016/j.epidem.2023.100668 ISSN 1755-4365.

Guarido, Milehna M., Fourie, Isabel, Meno, Kgothatso, Mendes, Adriano, Riddin, Megan A., MacIntyre, Caitlin, Manyana, Sontaga, Johnson, Todd, Schrama, Maarten, Gorsich, Erin E., Brooke, Basil D., Almeida, Antonio Paulo G. and Venter, Marietjie (2023) Alphaviruses detected in mosquitoes in the North-Eastern regions of South Africa, 2014 to 2018. Viruses, 15 (2). 414. doi:10.3390/v15020414 ISSN 1999-4915.

MacIntyre, Caitlin, Guarido, Milehna Mara, Riddin, Megan Amy, Johnson, Todd, Braack, Leo, Scharama, Maarten, Gorsich, Erin E., Almeida, Antonio Paulo Gouveia and Venter, Marietjie (2023) Survey of West Nile and Banzi viruses in mosquitoes, South Africa, 2011–2018. Emerging Infectious Diseases , 29 (1). pp. 164-169. doi:10.3201/eid2901.220036 ISSN 1080-6059.

Iacovidou, Melissa, Barreaux, Priscille, Spencer, Simon E. F., Thomas, Matthew B., Gorsich, Erin E. and Rock, Kat S. (2022) Omitting age-dependent mosquito mortality in malaria models underestimates the effectiveness of insecticide-treated nets. PLoS Computational Biology, 18 (9). e1009540. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009540 ISSN 1553-7358.

Guyver‐Fletcher, Glen, Gorsich, Erin E. and Tildesley, Michael J. (2021) A model exploration of carrier and movement transmission as potential explanatory causes for the persistence of foot‐and‐mouth disease in endemic regions. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases . doi:10.1111/tbed.14423 ISSN 1865-1674.

Guarido, Milehna Mara, Motlou, Thopisang, Riddin, Megan A., MacIntyre, Caitlin, Manyana, Sontaga Cris, Johnson, Todd, Schrama, Maarten, Gorsich, Erin E., Brooke, Basil D., Almeida, A. Paulo G. and Venter, Marietjie (2021) Potential mosquito vectors for Shuni virus, South Africa, 2014–2018. Emerging Infectious Diseases , 27 (12). pp. 3142-3146. doi:10.3201/eid2712.203426 ISSN 1080-6059.

Guarido, Milehna M., Govender, Kamini, Riddin, Megan A., Schrama, Maarten, Gorsich, Erin E., Brooke, Basil D., Almeida, Antonio Paulo Gouveia and Venter, Marietjie (2021) Detection of insect-specific flaviviruses in mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) in Northeastern regions of South Africa. Viruses , 13 (11). 2148. doi:10.3390/v13112148 ISSN 1999-4915.

Jolles, Anna, Gorsich, Erin E., Gubbins, Simon, Beechler, Brianna, Buss, Peter, Juleff, Nick, de Klerk-Lorist, Lin-Mari, Maree, Francois, Perez-Martin, Eva, van Schalkwyk, O. L., Scott, Katherine, Zhang, Fuquan, Medlock, Jan and Charleston, Bryan (2021) Endemic persistence of a highly contagious pathogen : foot-and-mouth disease in its wildlife host. Science, 374 (6563). pp. 104-109. doi:10.1126/science.abd2475 ISSN 0036-8075.

Keeling, Matt J., Tildesley, Michael J., Atkins, Benjamin D., Penman, Bridget S., Southall, Emma, Guyver-Fletcher, Glen, Holmes, Alexander, McKimm, Hector, Gorsich, Erin E., Hill, Edward M. and Dyson, Louise (2021) The impact of school reopening on the spread of COVID-19 in England. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 376 (1829). 20200261. doi:10.1098/rstb.2020.0261 ISSN 0962-8436.

Guarido, M. M., Riddin, M. A., Johnson, T., Braack, L. E. O., Schrama, M., Gorsich, Erin E., Brooke, B. D., Almeida, A. P. G. and Venter, Marietjie (2021) Aedes species (Diptera: Culicidae) ecological and host feeding patterns in the north-eastern parts of South Africa, 2014–2018. Parasites & Vectors, 14 (1). 339. doi:10.1186/s13071-021-04845-9 ISSN 1756-3305.

Gorsich, Erin E., Webb, Colleen T., Mertone, Andrew A., Hoetinge, Jennifer A., Miller, Ryan S., Farnsworth, Matthew L., Swafford, Seth R., De Libertog, Thomas J., Pederseng, Kerri, Franklin, Alan B., McLean, Robert G., Wilsonk, Kenneth R. and Doherty Jr, Paul F. (2021) Continental-scale dynamics of avian influenza in U.S. waterfowl are driven by demography, migration and temperature. Ecological Applications, 31 (2). e2245. doi:10.1002/eap.2245 ISSN 1051-0761.

Gonçalves, Raquel, de Souza, C. F., Rotani, R., Pereira, A., Farnes, K., Gorsich, Erin E., Silva, R., Brazil, R. P., Hamilton, J. G. C. and Courtenay, Orin (2021) Community deployment of a synthetic pheromone of the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis co-located with insecticide reduces vector abundance in treated and neighbouring untreated houses : implications for control of Leishmania infantum. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15 (2). e0009080. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0009080 ISSN 1935-2727.

Gonçalves, Raquel, de Souza, C. F., Rotani, R., Pereira, A., Farnes, K., Gorsich, Erin E., Silva, R., Brazil, R. P., Hamilton, J. G. C. and Courtenay, Orin (2021) Data for Community deployment of a synthetic pheromone of the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis co-located with insecticide reduces vector abundance in treated and neighbouring untreated houses : implications for control of Leishmania infantum. [Dataset]

Keeling, Matt J., Hill, Edward M., Gorsich, Erin E., Penman, Bridget S., Guyver-Fletcher, Glen, Holmes, Alexander, Leng, Trystan, McKimm, Hector, Tamborrino, Massimiliano, Dyson, Louise and Tildesley, Michael J. (2021) Predictions of COVID-19 dynamics in the UK : short-term forecasting and analysis of potential exit strategies. PLoS Computational Biology, 17 (1). e1008619. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008619 ISSN 1553-7358.

Schrama, Maarten, Hunting, Ellard R., Beechler, Brianna R., Guarido, Milehna M., Govender, Dann, Nijland, Wiebe, ‘t Zelfde, Maarten, Venter, Marietjie, van Bodegom, Peter M. and Gorsich, Erin E. (2020) Human practices promote presence and abundance of disease-transmitting mosquito species. Scientific Reports, 10 . 13543 . doi:10.1038/s41598-020-69858-3 ISSN 2045-2322.

Gorsich, Erin E., Beechler, Brianna R., van Bodegom, Peter M., Govender, Danny, Guarido, Milehna, Venter, Marietjie and Schrama, Maarten (2019) A comparative assessment of adult mosquito trapping methods to estimate spatial patterns of abundance and community composition in southern Africa. Parasites & Vectors, 12 . 462 . doi:10.1186/s13071-019-3733-z ISSN 1756-3305.

Beechler, B. R., Boersma, Kate S., Buss, Peter E., Coon, Courtney A. C., Gorsich, Erin E., Henrichs, Brian S., Siepielski, Adam M., Spaan, Johannie M., Spaan, Robert S., Ezenwa, Vanessa O. and Jolles, Anna E. (2019) Bovine tuberculosis disturbs parasite functional trait composition in African buffalo. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116 (29). pp. 14645-14650. doi:10.1073/pnas.1903674116 ISSN 0027-8424.

Krol, Louie, Van der Hoorn, Berry, Gorsich, Erin E., Trimbos, Krijn, Bodegom, Peter M. van and Schrama, Maarten (2019) How does eDNA compare to traditional trapping? Detecting mosquito communities in South-African freshwater ponds. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 7 . 260. doi:10.3389/fevo.2019.00260 ISSN 2296-701X.

Krol, Louie, Gorsich, Erin E., Hunting, Ellard R., Govender, Danny, van Bodegom, Peter M. and Schrama, Maarten (2019) Eutrophication governs predator-prey interactions and temperature effects in Aedes aegypti populations. Parasites & Vectors, 12 (1). 179. doi:10.1186/s13071-019-3431-x ISSN 1756-3305.

Gorsich, Erin E., Miller, Ryan S., Mask, Holly M., Hallman, Clayton, Portacci, Katie and Webb, Colleen T. (2019) Spatio-temporal patterns and characteristics of swine shipments in the U.S. based on Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection. Scientific Reports, 9 (1). 3915 . doi:10.1038/s41598-019-40556-z ISSN 2045-2322.

Tavalire, Hannah F., Beechler, Brianna R, Buss, Peter E., Gorsich, Erin E., Hoal, Eileen G., le Roex, Nikki, Spaan, Johannie M., van Helden, Paul D., Ezenwa, Vanessa and Jolles, Anna E. (2018) Context-dependent costs and benefits of tuberculosis resistance traits in a wild mammalian host. Ecology and Evolution, 8 (24). pp. 12712-12726. doi:10.1002/ece3.4699 ISSN 2045-7758.

Gorsich, Erin E., Etienne, Rampal S., Medlock, Jan, Beechler, Brianna R., Spaan, Johannie M., Spaan, Robert S., Ezenwa, Vanessa O. and Jolles, Anna E. (2018) Opposite outcomes of coinfection at individual and population scales. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 (29). pp. 7545-7550. doi:10.1073/pnas.1801095115 ISSN 0027-8424.

Schrama, Maarten, Gorsich, Erin E., Hunting, Ellard R., Barmentlo, S. Henrik, Beechler, Brianna and van Bodegom, Peter M. (2018) Eutrophication and predator presence overrule the effects of temperature on mosquito survival and development. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 12 (3). e0006354. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006354 ISSN 1935-2727.

Gorsich, Erin E., McKee, Clifton D., Grear, Daniel A., Miller, Ryan S., Portacci, Katie, Lindström, Tom and Webb, Colleen T. (2018) Model-guided suggestions for targeted surveillance based on cattle shipments in the U.S. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 150 . pp. 52-59. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2017.12.004 ISSN 0167-5877.

Beck-Johnson, Lindsay M., Hallman, Clayton, Miller, Ryan S., Portacci, Katie, Gorsich, Erin E., Grear, Daniel A., Hartman, Katherine and Webb, Colleen T. (2018) Estimating and exploring the proportions of inter- and intrastate cattle shipments in the United States. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 162 . pp. 56-66. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.11.002 ISSN 0167-5877.

Gorsich, Erin E., Luis, Angela D., Buhnerkempe, Michael G., Grear, Daniel A., Portacci, Katie, Miller, Ryan S. and Webb, Colleen T. (2016) Mapping U.S. cattle shipment networks : spatial and temporal patterns of trade communities from 2009 to 2011. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 134 . pp. 82-91. doi:10.1016/j.prevetmed.2016.09.023 ISSN 0167-5877.

Henrichs, Brian, Oosthuizen, Marinda C., Troskie, Milana, Gorsich, Erin E., Gondhalekar, Carmen, Beechler, Brianna R., Ezenwa, Vanessa O., Jolles, Anna E. and Fenton, Andy (2016) Within guild co-infections influence parasite community membership : a longitudinal study in African Buffalo. Journal of Animal Ecology, 85 (4). pp. 1025-1034. doi:10.1111/1365-2656.12535 ISSN 0021-8790.

Beechler, B. R., Manore, C. A., Reininghaus, B., O'Neal, D., Gorsich, Erin E., Ezenwa, V. O. and Jolles, A. E. (2015) Enemies and turncoats : bovine tuberculosis exposes pathogenic potential of Rift Valley fever virus in a common host, African buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282 (1805). 20142942. doi:10.1098/rspb.2014.2942 ISSN 1471-2954.

Gorsich, Erin E., Ezenwa, Vanessa O., Cross, Paul C., Bengis, Roy G., Jolles, Anna E. and Fenton, Andrew (2015) Context-dependent survival, fecundity and predicted population-level consequences of brucellosis in African buffalo. Journal of Animal Ecology, 84 (4). pp. 999-1009. doi:10.1111/1365-2656.12356 ISSN 0021-8790.

Gorsich, Erin E., Bengis, Roy G., Ezenwa, Vanessa O. and Jolles, Anna E. (2015) Evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosing brucellosis in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Journal of Wildlife Diseases , 51 (1). pp. 9-18. doi:10.7589/2013-12-334 ISSN 0090-3558.

Gorsich, Erin E., Ezenwa, Vanessa O. and Jolles, Anna E. (2014) Nematode–coccidia parasite co-infections in African buffalo : Epidemiology and associations with host condition and pregnancy. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 3 (2). pp. 124-134. doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2014.05.003 ISSN 2213-2244.

Research Projects

Title	Funder	Award start	Award end
US-UK Collab: Multi-scale infection dynamics from cells to landscapes: foot-and-mouth disease viruses in African buffalo (EEID 2021)	BBSRC	01 Feb 2023	31 Jan 2028
BBSRC EEID - Cardiff led UK component	BBSRC	01 Jan 2020	31 Dec 2024
Rift Valley fever virus at a wildlife-livestock interface: what role do African buffalo play in virus circulation? (MLSRF Small grant)	Medical and Life Sciences Research Fund	01 Sep 2022	31 Aug 2024
Mapping and Modeling the spread of wild bird AI risks posed to poultry at the national scale - yr 2	US Department of Agriculture	24 Sep 2018	22 Sep 2020
Mapping and modeling the spread of wild bird AI risks posed to poultry at the national scale. USDA transfer for Erin Gorsich	US Department of Agriculture	01 Aug 2018	14 Sep 2018

Teaching / Student Supervision

UG Admissions Tutor

If you are interested in a PhD with my group, please email me with a CV and your research interests. Funded PhD scholarships are available through the following doctoral training programs:

1) Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP). MIBTP studentships should focus on cross-disciplinary approaches to biological questions. Key strengths include: sustainable agriculture and food, renewable resources, understanding the rules of life, and integrated understanding of health.

2) Central England NERC Training Alliance (CENTA). This program funds Earth and Environmental Science research, focusing the following themes: climate and environmental sustainability, organisms and ecosystems, dynamic earth.

3) Mathematics for Real-World Systems (MathSys). MathSys trains PhD students focused on advanced quantitative sills and applied mathematical modelling. The degree should focus on addressing contemporary challenges in the themes of quantitative biomedical research or mathematical epidemiology.

4) Transformations of Human-Environment Interactions to Sustainable Development (Transform). Transform is a multidisciplinary PhD program on sustainable development. Key themes include: Climate resilience and socio-environmental justice and sustainable urbanisation for health and wellbeing

Group members

Current members:
Diana Meza (PDRA)	Melissa Iacouvidou (MathSys PhD student with Kat Rock)	Sophie Hawkes (MIBTP PhD Student)
Jo De-Klerk (DVM, MIBTP PhD Student with Mike Tildesley)	Tino Pori (NERC Centa PhD Student	Elliot Vincent (MathSys PhD student)
Morgan Barr (MBio)
Past members:
Arturo Hernandez-Colina (PDRA, now a PDRA at Warwick working with Orin Courtney)	Charlotte Stevens (MIBTP PhD Student, now an epidemiologist at UKHSA)	Callum Jones (Mathsys PhD Student, now an epidemiologist and modeller at UKHSA)
Glen Guyver-Fletcher (MIBTP PhD Student with Mike Tildesley, now a PDRA at Warwick)