Charles Whittaker

Charles Whittaker is an Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, where he directs the Pandemic and Epidemic Threat Analytics Lab (PETAL). He is a founding member of the Machine Learning and Global Health Network and serves as a Field Epidemiologist with prior deployments to the 2018–2020 North Kivu Ebola outbreak through the WHO and with the UK’s Public Health Rapid Support Team.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London (2022)
• MSc in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London (2017)
• BA in Biological Natural Sciences, University of Cambridge (2015)

Whittaker's research centers on pandemic preparedness through advanced analytical approaches including viral phylodynamics, epidemiological modeling, and machine learning. He investigates pathogen spread dynamics, detectability, and control strategies for pandemic threats, with a critical focus on equity in resource distribution to ensure inclusive outbreak response. Current projects target novel pathogen surveillance, zoonotic spillover drivers, and broad-spectrum vaccine development.

Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in respiratory virus pandemics (SARS-CoV-2 variants), vector-borne diseases (dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya), and hemorrhagic fevers (Ebola, Lassa, Marburg). His work consistently employs mathematical modeling, genomic surveillance, and machine learning across 15+ countries, emphasizing international collaboration and equity-focused solutions for global health emergencies.

As PETAL director, Whittaker leads research conducted through partnerships with scientists from Angola, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Panama, Singapore, the UK, and USA, alongside organizations including CEPI and WHO. While specific grant details aren't provided, his extensive international collaborations indicate significant funding support. Though student mentorship is inherent to his faculty role, no advisees are listed in available materials.