Data-driven approaches for rabies elimination

To achieve the 2030 global target of eliminating human deaths from dog- mediated rabies necessitates overcoming enduring challenges of weak surveillance and inefficiencies in vaccine delivery.

Fundamental understanding of rabies transmission dynamics gained through my long-term research can now be leveraged to target and coordinate control measures to eliminate rabies and sustain disease freedom.

With my team I will develop and apply cutting-edge surveillance tools to transform the implementation of rabies control and prevention, iteratively combining methodological development with implementation science.

Drawing from our extensive data I will develop new inference methods to exploit novel integrated genomic and epidemiological approaches that increase case detection, identify incursions, pinpoint their sources and track transmission to delineate foci of persistent circulation.

Working collaboratively in settings representative of broader global challenges on the path to rabies elimination (East Africa, Philippines, Peru), I will use these new methods to implement enhanced surveillance to generate data for improved decision-making.

Guided by this surveillance I will co- design and test synergistic interventions to increase dog vaccination effectiveness and cost-effective human post-exposure vaccine provisioning.

This approach will empower scientists and practitioners whilst establishing trust and engaging communities, generating transferable lessons and best practice needed to achieve the 2030 goal.