JUNIPER
We are pleased to be part of JUNIPER, the Joint University Pandemic and Epidemic Research. JUNIPER is a collaborative network of researchers from across the UK who work at the interface between mathematical modelling, infectious disease control and public health policy. The content listed here is part of our collaboration with JUNIPER and you can find out more about the work of other JUNIPER members on their website. We received an award from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) for our work with JUNIPER communicating maths concepts to policy-makers and the public during the COVID-19 emergency.

e for exponential
eponential growth
At the beginning of an epidemic the number of infected people grows exponentially. But why does the number e appear in descriptions of this growth?
What is the generation time of a disease?
network
To work out how a disease will spread you need to know the time between infections.
How can maths fight an epidemic?
SIR curves
How can we use mathematics to model the spread of a disease?
The doubling time of a disease
virus
The doubling time of a disease is the time it takes for the number of cases of the disease to double. How do you calculate it?
The growth rate of a disease
exponential curves
What is the growth rate and what does it tell us about an epidemic?
Disease modelling for beginners
network of people
Mathematics plays a central role in understanding how infectious diseases spread. This collection of articles looks at some basic concepts in epidemiology to help you understand this fascinating and important field, and set you up for further study.
R and herd immunity
herd
What is herd immunity and what does it have to do with a number called R?
Maths in a minute: Exponential growth
exponential growth
What do we mean when we say that something grows exponentially?
Julia Gog's mathematical toolkit for pandemics
Julia Gog
A mathematical, and personal, look into how we all had to balance the different harms of the virus and the steps we took against it.
SBIDER Presents: Shining a light on COVID modelling
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Was the mathematical modelling projecting the course of the pandemic too pessimistic, or were the projections justified? Matt Keeling tells our colleagues from SBIDER about the COVID models that fed into public policy.
More than maths: Understanding infectious diseases in care homes
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Some diseases spread far more quickly in care homes and other settings with vulnerable people. How can maths help? And what help does maths need?
Climate change and ready meals: Challenges for epidemiologists
mosquito
Invading mosquitoes and food poisoning in the production chain — there are a lot of questions epidemiologists address in their research.