Research Centre PandemiX Center

Using contemporary health registries and historical data sources, The PandemiX Center combines data analysis and interdisciplinary expertise to gain new understanding of pandemics. Our ambition is to prepare the world for the next pandemic through interdisciplinary work within the fields of medical history, epidemiology, demography, geography, mathematical modelling, bioinformatics, and other. As a bonus, the historical health data we identify are digitized and made available for other researchers and for advanced students interested in doing pandemic research projects.

The PandemiX Center sets out to explore the dynamics and impact of emerging infectious diseases, with an eye towards pandemic preparedness and policy implications. Our research span multiple scientific disciplines at the Department of Science and Environment. Our methods include mathematical modelling, epidemiological analyses, bioinformatics, as well as investigations into of the historical, societal, and environmental context. We wish to understand past pandemics, and how they were affected by societal institutions, lifestyle, urban/rural geography, economy, and migration. Also, we study how, in turn, pandemics and epidemic diseases helped shape modern society. Finally, we focus on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which is an unique opportunity to observe a pandemic in real time with an amazing amount of data. This work includes theoretical modelling work, as well as analysis of observational data to quantify the effect of mitigation strategies, such as the COVID-19 vaccine and other biomedical interventions and the global patterns of impact and trajectory.

The purpose of PandemiX Center is to:

Conduct interdisciplinary research in infectious disease epidemiology, using current and historic data to gain novel insights about past, present and future pandemics
Use mathematical and statistical models to investigate patterns and impact of human pandemics and the effect of mitigation strategies
Create a mathematical epidemiology research environment to support Danish health authorities in the context of COVID-19 and future pandemics
Secure robust insights about context, through interdisciplinary collaborations within center members, and external collaborations with social science and the humanities colleagues
Mentor the next generation of students in quantitative science in infectious disease modelling (mathematical modelling and digital humanities)

Portrætter af medlemmer af Pandemix Center

Meet the researchers

Director

Lone Simonsen, professor, pandemic researcher

Reseachers

Roskilde University

Lone Simonsen, professor, pandemic researcher // Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, professor (mso) // Viggo Andreasen, associate professor // Robert J. Taylor, adjunct associate professor // Maarten van Wijhe, assistant professor // Rasmus Kristoffer Pedersen, postdoc // Bjarke Frost Nielsen, Postdoc // Mathias Mølbak Ingholt, PhD student // Christian Berrig, PhD student // Søren Kølholt Poder, PhD student // Alex Vincent Thorn, visiting scholar// Amanda Gammelby Qvesel, visiting scholar // Søren Ørskov, visiting scholar // Christian Mannov Christiansen, student assistant

University of Copenhagen, Niels Bohr Institute

Kim Sneppen, professor // Andreas Eilersen, research assistant

DTU Health Tech, Department of Health Technology

Anders Gorm Pedersen, professor

Capital Region of Denmark, North Zealand Hospital

Thea Kølsen Fischer, Director of Clinical Research, Professor, University of Copenhagen

Research areas

Mathematical Epidemiology

Viggo Andreasen, associate professor // Kim Sneppen, professor // Bjarke Frost Nielsen, Postdoc // Andreas Eilersen, research assistant // Christian Berrig, PhD student // Rasmus Kristoffer Pedersen, postdoc

Epidemiology and Global Health

Lone Simonsen, professor, pandemic reseacher // Robert J. Taylor, adjunct associate professor // Maarten van Wijhe, assistant professor // Søren Ørskov, visiting scholar

Bioinformatics

Anders Gorm Pedersen, professor // Amanda Gammelby Qvesel, visiting scholar // Alex Vincent Thorn, visiting scholar

Medical History

Lone Simonsen, professor. pandemic researcher // Maarten van Wijhe, assistant professor // Mathias Mølbak Ingholt, PhD student // Rasmus Kristoffer Pedersen, postdoc // Søren Kølholt Poder, PhD student

Micro Biology, Immunity and Diagnostics

Karen Angeliki Krogfelt, professor

Clinical Virology

Thea Kølsen Fischer, Director of Clinical Research, Professor, University of Copenhagen

News

Indegenous peoples and pandemics

17 May 2022 |

A new article co-authored by PandemiX scientists test the hypothesis that Indigenous populations, globally, are more likely to experience mortality from COVID-19 than non-Indigenous populations.

Picture: Figure from the paper. BMC Infectious Diseases. https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-022-07422-2.

Temperate climate malaria in nineteenth century Denmark

05 May 2022 |

A new paper by consortium members maps the geography of malaria in late 19th century Denmark.

Child doing homework in bed wearing face mask

Children Naturally Evading COVID‐19 — Why Children Differ from Adults

15 March 2022 |

A new paper by PandemiX and colleagues highlights proposed reasons as to why children are less affected by COVID-19 than adults.

Carlsberg Foundation

The Lundbeck Foundation

Independent Research Fund Denmark

Nordic Council of Ministers - NordForsk

The PandemiX Center participates in a number of research projects, which are both internally and externally funded, just as the center's researchers participate in projects in collaboration with other research institutions in Denmark and abroad. Among the projects are:

PandemiX: A Quantitative study of historical and contemporary pandemics
With this research project we want to construct a comprehensive theory to explain how and why emerging epidemic diseases come and go, take off or disappear, and eventually melt into the larger pool of recurrent epidemic diseases. In doing so, we aim to reveal important insights into the major diseases that shaped human society and—crucially—help to prepare for future pandemic threats: the next Disease X.

Understanding immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in the general population: a seroprevalence study
The COVID-19 pandemic approaches its second wave peak in Denmark and vaccination programmes are soon to start. This study will investigate the build-up of immunity in the population during the first wave by studying seroprevalence of COVID-19 antibodies in Danish patients. This will help us understand age-specific immunity, dark-numbers and further develop surveillance strategies. This knowledge will help future mitigation strategies and help prepare for the coming spring.

Long-term Impact of Childhood Vaccination Programs: Using Historical data to Understand Modern Disease Patterns
Childhood vaccination programs are often presented as one of the main reasons for the historic decline in infectious disease mortality. However, this subject has mainly been investigated in contemporary settings without the long view needed to gain a complete understanding of disease patterns after decades of vaccine use.

NORDEMICS: Pathogens, Pandemics and the Development of Nordic Societies
This project aimes to create a Nordic interdisciplinary consortium dedicated to understanding how factors such as urbanization, increased trade and travel, large-scale migration, vaccines and other public health interventions, climate change and ecological degradation influence the dynamics of epidemic and pandemic infections in human populations. The consortium will systematically study historical health data to understand the patterns of spread and health impact of such diseases in the Nordic countries over the last 300 years.

Learn more about research projects in PandemiX Center at the Roskilde University Research Portal

Insights

Superspreading - Coronaviruses' Weakness?

Researchers from the PandemiX Center and the Niels Bohr Institute investigate SARS-CoV-2 virus' marked tendency towards superspreading.

Read more about Superspreading - Coronaviruses' Weakness?

ARTICLE

New research centre will contribute to enhanced pandemic preparedness

A new research centre at Roskilde University, the PandemiX Center, will explore the dynamics and impact of pandemics.

Read more about New research centre will contribute to enhanced pandemic preparedness

ARTICLE

The Carlsberg Foundation grants DKK 10 million for research in mathematical pandemic models

Since January 2020 the ongoing Corona pandemic has thrown the world into a deep health crisis. The Carlsberg Foundation therefore grants DKK 10 million to a new Semper Ardens project for the development of mathematical models to predict the potential development of future epidemics. Professor Lone Simonsen at Roskilde University will lead this Semper Ardens project.

Read more about The Carlsberg Foundation grants DKK 10 million for research in mathematical pandemic models

ARTICLE

100 years: Knowledge of the Spanish flu enhances our preparedness for future pandemics

Unique Danish data gives Professor Lone Simonsen an insight into how the Spanish Flu occurred 100 years ago. The insight helps to provide an impression of how future pandemics may behave.

Read more about 100 years: Knowledge of the Spanish flu enhances our preparedness for future pandemics

ARTICLE

Pandemic researcher from RUC receives ministry’s communications prize

Professor Lone Simonsen has managed to explain complicated new knowledge about the Covid pandemic in a manner that is comprehensible and relevant to Danes at a critical time. For her efforts, the professor will be honoured with the Research Communication Prize 2021.

Read more about Pandemic researcher from RUC receives ministry’s communications prize

Follow PandemiX Center on Twitter

On Twitter, you can read our comments on and answers to the many questions that are about COVID-19 and the Corona pandemic. The profile is edited by the researchers at PandemiX Center.

PandemiX on Twitter