New RGC award for Vijay Dhanasekaran: Next-Generation Phylodynamic Modeling of Transmission and Immune Dynamics

Prof. Vijay Dhanasekaran, with Co-Investigators Prof. Tim K. Tsang, Dr. Ruopeng Xie, and Prof. Ben Cowling, has received funding from the RGC General Research Fund to develop computational and statistical tools that integrate genomic, epidemiological, and immunological data to infer key epidemiological parameters from viral phylogenies, capturing recent transmission dynamics and longer-term circulation shaped by immunity.

This interdisciplinary project combines deep learning and phylodynamic modeling to characterise transmission heterogeneity, immune landscapes, and intervention effects, focusing on SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses.

Vijay's team welcomes postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates with strong quantitative and computational skills, familiarity with phylogenetics and statistical inference, and experience in programming and data analysis. Experience with machine learning, modeling, or large datasets is a plus.

Candidates from biology, epidemiology, bioinformatics, statistics, mathematics, computer science, or related fields are encouraged to apply. Motivation and eagerness to learn are especially valued for PhD candidates.

For more information about Vijay Dhanasekaran's lab, click here.