James O Lloyd-Smith

James O Lloyd-Smith is a Professor in the departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Computational Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His research focuses on understanding the ecological and evolutionary drivers of infectious diseases, with a particular emphasis on zoonotic pathogens and viral transmission dynamics. Key areas of investigation include the spillover of pathogens from wildlife to humans, environmental stability of viruses, and the application of mathematical models to inform public health strategies.

His work spans disciplines such as epidemiology, computational biology, and wildlife health, with notable contributions to studies of influenza, leptospirosis, and monkeypox. He has pioneered methods to predict pathogen spread using mechanistic models and has explored the impact of climate, human behavior, and environmental factors on disease emergence.

Notable projects include analyzing the stability of SARS-CoV-2 in different environments, investigating the role of childhood immune imprinting in influenza susceptibility, and developing frameworks to assess risks of viral spillover from bats. His research integrates field data with computational approaches to address global health challenges.