The Next Pandemic Could Strike at Any Time: Are We Prepared?

Spring 2025 LAS Dean's Lecture

Kadelka’s lecture bridges a variety of disciplines from mathematics and statistics to sociology, biology, and public health, to explore how refined infectious disease models can better predict and mitigate future outbreaks. Sprinkling his talk with compelling examples from his extensive research, Kadelka will demonstrate how multi-disciplinary insights can lead to more accurate, real-world epidemic models and ultimately guide effective public health interventions. He became passionate about this work because it merges his deep interest in mathematical biology with a commitment to safeguarding community health, ensuring that both scientific innovation and public welfare move forward together.

In his research, Claus Kadelka applies methods from his training in mathematics and medical virology to tackle critical challenges in two broad areas. As the Lead PI of a multi-institutional National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, he works to deepen our understanding of gene regulatory networks, which fundamentally control how our cells function. Working towards better future pandemic preparedness, Kadelka further combines rigorous theoretical analysis with advanced computational techniques to uncover how human behavior and complex social processes intertwine in disease spread. His work particularly focuses on the impact of heterogeneities—like the tendency of individuals to interact more likely with others who share similar traits—on the transmission of pathogens.

This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event. The recording will only be available for three weeks from the date of the lecture.