Ecological Niche Modeling to Examine the Interactions Between Climate-related Environmental Change, Food Security, Landscape Diversity and an Emerging Infectious Disease 

The need to better understand underlying drivers of emerging infectious diseases has never been greater. Our research seeks to apply geospatial modeling to assess the relationships among Kenya’s climate, agricultural system, biodiversity and camel and human interactions in determining the occurrence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV). 

Publications

Lawrence T.J., Kangogo G.K., Fredman A., Deem S.L., Fèvre E.M., Gluecks I., Brien J.D., Shacham E. (2024). Spatial examination of social and environmental drivers of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) across Kenya. Ecohealth. doi: 10.1007/s10393-024-01684-9

Lawrence T.J., Takenaka B.P., Garg A., Tao D., Deem S.L., Fèvre E.M., Gluecks I., Sagan V., Shacham E. (2023). A global examination of ecological niche modeling to predict emerging infectious diseases: a systematic review. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1244084

Lawrence, T.J., Vilbig, J.M., Kangogo, G. et al. (2023). Shifting climate zones and expanding tropical and arid climate regions across Kenya (1980–2020). Regional Environmental Change 23, 59. doi: 10.1007/s10113-023-02055-w

Research Team

Ted Lawrence, Saint Louis University (Taylor Geospatial Institute)
Enbal Shacham, Saint Louis University (College for Public Health and Social Justice  and Taylor Geospatial Institute)
Sharon Deem, Saint Louis Zoo
Allison Miller, Saint Louis University, Danforth Plant Science Center
Carolyn Lesorogol, WashU (Brown School of Social Work)
Eric Fèvre, University of Liverpool
Vasit Sagan, Saint Louis University