Predicting mosquito- and parasite-borne disease risks from environmental data
Leveraging environmental drivers to predict vector-borne disease transmission
This project uses climate, land-use, and other environmental information to forecast when and where infections like dengue, malaria, leishmaniasis, and schistosomiasis may rise so communities can prepare.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325313 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you live where these diseases occur, researchers will combine local weather and climate records, maps of land use, and health reports to build models that forecast disease risk. They will look at how climate extremes, habitat changes, and shifts in mosquito or snail ranges change the timing and locations of outbreaks. The team uses advanced statistical methods, causal inference tools, and large geospatial datasets to uncover environmental drivers and make short- and long-term forecasts. Results are meant to help health officials target warnings and control measures to reduce infections.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living in or near areas affected by dengue, malaria, leishmaniasis, or schistosomiasis — especially regions experiencing climate or land-use change — are the most relevant population for this work.
Not a fit: People in regions without mosquito- or snail-borne diseases or whose care does not depend on environmental risk predictions are unlikely to see direct benefits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could give health officials earlier, more accurate warnings and better-targeted control efforts to lower infections and outbreaks.
How similar studies have performed: Previous outbreak-forecasting and environmental-disease models have shown promise for dengue and malaria, but combining land-use change, climate extremes, and evolutionary responses at this scale is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mordecai, Erin — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Mordecai, Erin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.