Juniper: Strengthening and developing epidemic modelling in the UK

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.

Article

The doubling time of a disease

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?

Article

The growth rate of a disease

What is the growth rate and what does it tell us about an epidemic?

Collection

Disease modelling for beginners

This collection of articles looks at some basic concepts in epidemiology and how mathematics plays a central role in understanding how infectious diseases spread.

Article

R and herd immunity

What is herd immunity and what does it have to do with a number called R?

Article

Maths in a minute: Exponential growth

What do we mean when we say that something grows exponentially?

Article

Julia Gog's mathematical toolkit for pandemics

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.

Podcast

SBIDER Presents: Shining a light on COVID modelling

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.

Article

More than maths: Understanding infectious diseases in care homes

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?

Podcast

Climate change and ready meals: Challenges for epidemiologists

Invading mosquitoes and food poisoning in the production chain — there are a lot of questions epidemiologists address in their research.

Article

Learning from COVID: How good was the UK's vaccination strategy?

Was vaccinating vulnerable people first a good choice? Hindsight allows us to assess this question.

Podcast

Living Proof: Communicating from the frontiers of mathematics

What are the challenges of communicating from the frontiers of mathematical research, and why should we be doing it?

Article

Celebrating Pi Day with the stars of our podcast!

Celebrate Pi Day with the stars of our podcast, Maths on the move!