TIPTON group

The Research Group for Infectious Disease Epidemiology & Animal Health Economics (TIPTON Group) has the goal of better understanding, forecasting, and preventing infectious diseases in the veterinary and public health sectors. 

TIPTON’s primary focus is to promote the application of effective, efficient, and evidence-based preventative and/or therapeutic interventions against infectious agents by developing cutting-edge computational inference and simulation models to address queries related to epidemiology and economics posed by veterinary authorities and the livestock sector in Denmark and internationally. We also support our colleagues in the application of computational techniques such as statistical, inference and artificial intelligence analysis of big datasets for different topics.

The group aims to advance global projects in infectious epidemiology and animal health economics through trans- and interdisciplinary collaborations with other divisions, departments, and institutions. 

 

 

 

  • Elma Dervic (Engineer) from the Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Austria 
  • Valentina Suprani (Economist) from University of Bologna, Italy 
  • Eleftherios Meletis (Epidemiologist) from the University of Thessaly, Greece 
  • We are associated with the Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Austria

 

 

  • Franz Ferdinand Roch
  • Moritz Hartmann
  • Viktoria Neubauer
  • Chaughtai Muhammad Sharjeel

 

 

Master Students

  • Camilla Bro Gregersen (2023: Publication in preparation)
  • Kristine Berg Hansen (2023: Publication in preparation)
  • Michael Brunauer (2021: Published in Animals)
  • Stefan Thomaser (2021)
  • Alexander Gense (2020)
  • Marc Dangelmaier (2020)
  • Elisabeth Kattwinkel (2019:Published in Veterinary Records)
  • Katharina Snoek (2018)
  • Scharnböck, Bettina (2018: Published in Nature Scientific Reports)
  • Franz-Ferdinand Roch (2018)
  • Veronika Richter (2017: Published in The Veterinary Journal as best Paper)
  • Bianca Gindl (2015)

 

Former PhD Students

  • Johannes Klinger (2018-2021)
  • Tatiana Marschik (2018-2021)
  • Veronika Richter (2020-2023)

 

 

The TIPTON Group is currently involved in the following projects: 

  • WiLiMAN-ID Horizon Europe Project (2023-2028): Ecology of wildlife, livestock, human and infectious diseases in changing environments. In this project, we are going to develop a preparedness index for early detection and outbreak response of infectious diseases in Europe and develop joint socio-economic metric for the impacts of animal infectious diseases. Further, we are optimizing interventions for emerging and endemic diseases based on mechanistic modeling and optimization theory in disease free-zones and infected zones. In this project we will contribute in modeling challenges between different modelling groups across different EU countries to support the decisions of veterinary authorities related to outbreak response. In this project we work together with 17 partners from 13 EU countries. 
  • Biosecure Horizon Europe Project (2023-2026): Enhanced and cost-effective biosecurity in livestock production. In this project, we will develop farm-level risk assessment models and economically assess biosecurity measures at the farm level and consider in the economic assessment the issue of double-counting of biosecurity effects and to inform farmers about uncertainties in the disease burden estimator with and without implementation of biosecurity measures. Further, we will model epidemiological impact of biosecurity practices at territorial level and assess the economic impacts of biosecurity policy scenarios. In this project we work together with 14 partners from 11 countries to improve the knowledge of the impact of biosecurity measures on disease introduction and spread as well as analyze associated impacts on cost- and production function for farmers. 
  • ENHANCE DANIDA Project (2023-2028): In this project, we will investigate the climate influence on zoonoses at human-livestock-wildlife interfaces in the transboundary region between Kenya and Tanzania. In this project we work together mainly with colleagues from Kenya and Tanzania. 
  • EUFMD Project (2021-2024): In this project, we are investigating and simulating different outbreak scenarios and intervention measures including capacities to manage FMD outbreaks in Denmark and to support veterinary authorities to set up an appropriate resource planning for Denmark. In this project we work together with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and FAO. 
  • PRRS Spread model (2022-2025): In this project, we are going to develop a PRRS spread model for Denmark by considering the spread via airborne, direct and indirect contacts, local transmission and impact of mitigation measures such as vaccination and quarantine of traded pigs as well as the effect of different risk areas. The main aim is to identify the best mitigation measures and to predict new infection in a local context based on new potential implemented intervention measures to reduce PRRS infection in Denmark. In this project we work together with SEGES Innovation and Danish Agriculture and Food Council. 
  • Cost Better (2022-2025): Biosecurity Enhanced Through Training Evaluation and Raising Awareness. In this project, we work on the effectiveness and efficiency of different biosecurity measures to reduce disease introduction and disease spread for selected animal diseases. 
  • Salmonella Dublin Spread model (2022-2025): In this project, we investigate the network properties over time between cattle farms in Denmark and quantify the infection probability by considering different transmission pathways. These outcomes will be used to feed the Salmonella Dublin Spread Model for Denmark and to investigate the impact of different mitigation measures to reduce the prevalence of S. Dublin in the cattle population by considered already existing implemented mitigation measures. In this project we work together with SEGES Innovation, DTU and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

  • PAHW (2024-2027):
    The TIPTON Group is involved in three WPs of the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare.

    1. Rapid Risk Assessment: Improvement of epidemic intelligence methodologies (Chair: Beate Conrady)
    2. Assess the economic and societal burden of selected priority diseases and production diseases
    3. Biosecurity measures to prevent and control AID on farm and during transport taking into account effects on animal welfare