Mathematics and Statistics Colloquium: Dr. Joshua Schiffer

About the event

Title: Modeling Antiviral Therapy for SARS-CoV-2

Abstract: Our group has developed mathematical models to define variable SARS-CoV-2 shedding kinetics observed in the general population. We leveraged this model to accurately simulate clinical trials. Our models help identify why nirmatrelvir / ritonavir was extremely effective as an early therapy but failed a post exposure prophylaxis, and why viral rebound is common on this drug. We also explore mechanisms for nirmatrelvir / ritonavir’s superiority relative to molnupiravir.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Joshua Schiffer is a Professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division and University of Washington in the Department of Medicine. He is an infectious disease physician and researcher who develops mathematical models to address significant medical challenges. A major focus of his work is to analyze strategies to achieve an HIV cure in people who require antiviral drugs for their entire lifetime, due to reservoirs of latent virus. These models assess the potential of a wide variety of potential curative technologies. Dr. Schiffer and colleagues also use mathematical modeling to study how T cells help control numerous herpes viruses that cause disease in healthy people and in cancer patients with compromised immune systems. They develop models to explain when and how latent viruses reactivate and use models to optimize the effectiveness of antiviral drugs. His team is also focusing on COVID-19, including developing models of the immune response against the coronavirus and the best treatment strategies.