The 2026 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships call is now open, with a total budget of €399.05 million expected to fund approximately 1,600 fellowships worldwide.

Our role: DIMMS Lab can serve as the host organisation during the outgoing phase (12–24 months) of a Global Postdoctoral Fellowship. Canada is classified as a non-associated Third Country under Horizon Europe, making York University an eligible Third Country host. After the outgoing phase at DIMMS Lab, fellows complete a mandatory 12-month return phase at a European institution of their choice. The fellowship is fully funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe framework.

Prof. Woldegebriel Assefa Woldegerima will serve as supervisor and will work closely with interested applicants to co-develop a competitive joint proposal.

Research areas of interest at DIMMS Lab:

• AI and deep learning for infectious disease prediction (e.g., disease-informed neural networks for avian influenza forecasting)
• Epidemic and pandemic preparedness modeling (COVID-19, Mpox, influenza)
• Spatial epidemiology and socio-environmental determinants of disease
• Climate–health dynamics and the impact of climate change on infectious disease patterns
• Multi-scale and immunity modeling (within-host to population-level dynamics)
• Bayesian inference, MCMC methods, and computational statistics for biological systems

Eligibility (for the Global Fellowship pathway via DIMMS Lab):

• Must be a European national or long-term resident of an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country
• Must hold a PhD (or have successfully defended) by the deadline
• Maximum 8 years of postdoctoral research experience
• Must not have resided or carried out main activity in Canada for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the call deadline

Key dates:

• Call open: 9 April 2026
• Deadline: 9 September 2026, 17:00 CEST
• Results: February 2027
• Grant agreement: April 2027
• Projects start: from May 2027

How to express interest: Contact Prof. Woldegebriel Assefa Woldegerima at wassefaw@yorku.ca with your CV and a brief statement of your research interests and how they align with DIMMS Lab's work. Please reach out well in advance of the deadline so we can develop a strong proposal together.

Official call page: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026
Apply via: EU Funding & Tenders Portal

We look forward to hearing from prospective applicants!

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Woldegebriel Assefa Woldegerima and Nickson Golooba have published a new paper in Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering (Volume 23, Issue 3).

The paper, titled "Modular arithmetic as an alternative to model seasonal time-varying transmission rates: Influenza as a case study," introduces an innovative mathematical approach using modular arithmetic to model the seasonal variations in disease transmission rates.

This research presents an alternative method to traditional approaches for capturing the periodic nature of seasonal diseases like influenza. The modular arithmetic framework offers a mathematically elegant and computationally efficient way to incorporate seasonality into epidemiological models.

The paper is now available online:

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3934/mbe.2026021
• AIMS Press: View Article

Congratulations to Prof. Woldegerima and Nickson on this publication!

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Andrew Omame, Dr. Chigozie Louisa J. Ugwu, and Prof. Woldegebriel Assefa Woldegerima, along with collaborators, have published a new paper in One Health (Volume 22).

The paper, titled "Assessing the impact of vaccination and behavioural change on Mpox transmission in high-risk groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo using an age-structured mathematical model," investigates the synergistic impact of vaccination and behaviour-driven contact reduction among high-risk adults within an age- and risk-structured modelling framework.

Key findings from this research include:

• Among adults, behavioural change has a greater impact than vaccination in reducing mpox transmission
• Vaccination targeting children yielded the most significant effects compared to either contact-reduction measures or immunization of adults
• Initiating a 50% reduction in contact rates among high-risk adults approximately 20 weeks earlier yields an additional 20% decrease in cumulative mpox cases

The study provides evidence-based guidance for optimizing vaccine allocation and prioritizing behavioural interventions among high-risk groups to prevent sustained transmission in the DRC.

The paper is now available online:

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2026.101324
• ScienceDirect: View Article

Congratulations to the entire team on this important publication!

The DIMMS Lab is pleased to welcome a guest speaker, Sherif Shuaib, Ph.D. candidate at York University, on October 17, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. This is an in-person research presentation located in Ross Building, Room N638 with snacks and coffee provided.

Sherif will present his research titled "A mechanistic stage-structured model for estimating maturation, mortality, and recruitment parameters of three economically significant fish species in Canadian waters."

The study analyzes discrete-time, stage-structured models to estimate key life-history parameters for three economically significant fish species: Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Capelin (Mallotus villosus), and Cod (Gadus morhua). The research examines model well-posedness, net reproductive number, and global stability of equilibria, providing insights into effective fisheries management strategies.

His research interests include mathematical biology, data analytics, and population dynamics.

All are welcome to attend this seminar!

Dr. Andrew Omame and Dr. Qi Deng represented the DIMMS Lab at the Third Joint SIAM/CAIMS Annual Meetings held in Montreal, Canada from July 28-August 1, 2025.

The conference brought together researchers from the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and the Canadian Applied and Industrial Mathematics Society (CAIMS), providing an excellent platform for our lab members to present their research, network with colleagues, and engage with the latest advances in applied and computational mathematics.

A big THANK YOU to Andrew and Qi for representing the DIMMS Lab at this prestigious conference!

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Qi Deng, Postdoctoral Researcher at the DIMMS Lab, has published a new paper in PLoS Computational Biology, a leading journal in computational biology research.

This publication represents significant progress in our lab's computational biology research initiatives and demonstrates the high-quality work being conducted by our team members.

The paper is now available online: Read the full paper

Congratulations to Dr. Qi Deng on this excellent achievement!

We are pleased to announce that Nickson Golooba has published a new paper in the field of computational epidemiology. The research, co-authored and mentored by WA Woldegerima, is titled "Deep neural networks with application in predicting the spread of avian influenza through disease-informed Neural Networks."

This work introduces innovative approaches combining machine learning with domain knowledge for improved disease forecasting. Their study represents a significant advancement in predictive modeling for infectious disease spread, integrating mathematical epidemiology principles with neural network architectures.

The paper is now available online at: https://doi.org/10.3934/bdia.2025001

Congratulations to Nickson on this outstanding achievement!

We are pleased to congratulate Dr. Chigozie L. Ugwu on her two recent publications in prestigious journals. WA Woldegerima is a co-author on both of these significant research papers:

We extend our sincere congratulations to Dr. Chigozie L. Ugwu for these excellent contributions to the field.

We are pleased to announce that Joe Tran has published his first paper as first author, co-authored with WA Woldegerima. This publication represents an important milestone for Joe and highlights the value of supporting undergraduate and Master's students in achieving first authorship on academic papers.

One of the advantages of allowing Undergraduate/MA/MSc students to have their first paper as a first author is to boost their future opportunities in terms of getting funding or scholarships.

The paper is now available online:

• ScienceDirect: View Paper
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chaos.2025.116209

Congratulations to Joe Tran on this outstanding achievement!