Prof. Sam Lycett

I am a Senior Lecturer and Group Leader in Pathogen Phylodynamics, at Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, and research the evolution and epidemiology of viral and bacterial pathogens in animal and zoonotic disease systems. From an initial background in physics and signal processing, my research interests are now in evolution and epidemiology of viruses and bacteria using advanced computational, machine learning, bioinformatic and phylogenetic modelling techniques. I use sequence data combined with other data (such as spatial and environmental data) to investigate and develop phylodynamic and phylogeographic models, tracking and predicting spread and evolution of pathogen variants through time, space and species. Research topics include questions involving the evolution, spread, new variants and cross species transmissions, of pathogens such as avian influenza, bovine viral diarrhoea, foot-and-mouth disease, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and bovine tuberculosis, with the ultimate goal of improving understanding of disease risk and effectiveness of control measures.