Broadly, my group investigates the coevolution of pathogens and hosts’ adaptive immunity. We use computational and mathematical tools to test hypotheses and to advance theory. Our earlier work focused on the evolutionary consequences of immune-mediated competition between different pathogen strains, including pneumococcus, human papillomavirus, and especially influenza. More recently, our focus has expanded to include the related dynamics of the host immune response. We are investigating the evolution of antibody repertoires within hosts over time, in particular to identify the roles of infection history, chance, vaccination, and host genetics in generating the diversity of B cell responses. This research involves linking epidemiological and immunological observations of B cells to the antigenic and genetic evolution of influenza viruses. Consequently, it makes extensive use of longitudinal dynamical models of individuals and birth cohorts as well as techniques from molecular evolution to investigate coevolution across scales.
Understanding the dynamics of vaccination is another area of focus. We have investigated the actual and expected impacts of vaccines against pneumococcus, human papillomavirus, and influenza. With influenza, we have been investigating the impact of the vaccine on viral transmission and local evolution and how immune history might reduce the vaccine’s effectiveness and alter selective pressures. Improving vaccination strategies given hosts’ diverse immune histories and the potential for rapid evolution by the pathogen is a long-term aim of our work. Ultimately, we want to explain coevolution sufficiently well to enable prediction, or at least to determine when prediction is not feasible.
Harvard School of Public Health
Postdoctoral - Infectious disease dynamics
2013
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
PhD - Ecology & Evolution
2009
Princeton University
AB - Ecology & Evolution
2002
Repeat Influenza Vaccination Effects in 2021/22 and 2022/23 in a Community-Based Cohort in Hong Kong.
Repeat Influenza Vaccination Effects in 2021/22 and 2022/23 in a Community-Based Cohort in Hong Kong. J Infect Dis. 2026 Jun 16; 233(6):e1364-e1373.
PMID: 41601201
Strain-specific differences in the response to egg-derived versus recombinant protein influenza vaccines.
Strain-specific differences in the response to egg-derived versus recombinant protein influenza vaccines. J Virol. 2026 Jun 23; 100(6):e0031726.
PMID: 42200639
Cross-reactive human antibody responses to H5N1 influenza virus neuraminidase are shaped by immune history.
Cross-reactive human antibody responses to H5N1 influenza virus neuraminidase are shaped by immune history. Nat Commun. 2026 May 11; 17(1).
PMID: 42115617
Strain-specific differences in the response to egg-derived versus recombinant protein influenza vaccines.
Strain-specific differences in the response to egg-derived versus recombinant protein influenza vaccines. bioRxiv. 2026 Apr 20.
PMID: 41809001
Susceptible host dynamics explain pathogen resilience to perturbations.
Susceptible host dynamics explain pathogen resilience to perturbations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Jan 06; 123(1):e2517518122.
PMID: 41481429
Interplay between climate and childhood mixing can explain a sudden shift in RSV seasonality in Japan.
Interplay between climate and childhood mixing can explain a sudden shift in RSV seasonality in Japan. Nat Commun. 2025 Dec 13; 16(1):11385.
PMID: 41390445
Different antigenic distance metrics generate similar predictions of influenza vaccine response breadth despite moderate correlation.
Different antigenic distance metrics generate similar predictions of influenza vaccine response breadth despite moderate correlation. PLoS Comput Biol. 2025 11; 21(11):e1013720.
PMID: 41237217
Susceptible host dynamics explain pathogen resilience to perturbations.
Susceptible host dynamics explain pathogen resilience to perturbations. bioRxiv. 2025 Oct 26.
PMID: 40667140
Cross-reactive human antibody responses to H5N1 influenza virus neuraminidase are shaped by immune history.
Cross-reactive human antibody responses to H5N1 influenza virus neuraminidase are shaped by immune history. medRxiv. 2025 Sep 04.
PMID: 40950417
Different antigenic distance metrics generate similar predictions of influenza vaccine response breadth despite moderate correlation.
Different antigenic distance metrics generate similar predictions of influenza vaccine response breadth despite moderate correlation. medRxiv. 2025 Jul 02.
PMID: 40630575
Neubauer Faculty Development Fellowship
University of Chicago
2016
James S. McDonnell Foundation Complex Systems Scholar Award
University of Chicago
2014
NIH New Innovator Award
University of Chicago
2014
NIH Kirchstein National Research Service Award
Harvard School of Public Health
2011
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
University of Michigan
2005
Sigma Xi Society
Princeton University
2002
Phi Beta Kappa
Princeton University
2002
Senior Book Prize, Ecology & Evolution
Princeton University
2002