ADM Lab Research
The Animal Disease Modeling Lab (ADM) Research
The focus of the ADM lab is to predict the spread of animal diseases if they were to enter the US. In conjunction with this, various control strategies are tested in order to evaluate their effectiveness and economic efficiency. Currently the ADM lab is researching various animal diseases, predominantly foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and avian influenza (AI). However, work is also being conducted on brucellosis in Greater Yellowstone National Park, toxoplasmosis in the southern sea otter, West Nile Virus, and autism in humans.
FMD Modeling
Starting in 1997 with a PhD project, the lab began working to develop a simulation model that can predict how an outbreak of FMD might spread and best be controlled. Initially this model was developed for a 3-county region of California, but with increased funding, the efforts have expanded so that the current version can simulate the spread throughout the entire state of California. Work is underway to increase the scope of the model to a national level.
If you are a livestock producer in the US and would be interested in helping us develop this model by sharing some information about your farming practices please visit our US Livestock Disease Survey. We hope the results will be beneficial to livestock producers, the economy and of course the animal population in the US.