Members – Current

Wan is interested in understanding mechanisms governing disease systems, for devising prevention and intervention strategies.  Trained in environmental engineering, computer science, infectious disease modeling and epidemiology, she applies mathematical modeling and Bayesian inference methods to address a wide range of questions related to both communicable and noncommunicable diseases.

Navid Mohammad Mirzaei

I received my Ph.D. in applied mathematics from the University of Delaware in 2020. My graduate work revolved around modeling arterial mechanics and the histological factors leading to intimal thickening and atherosclerosis. After graduating, I started working as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. During my time at UMass, besides teaching interesting math courses, I investigated the dynamics of the tumor microenvironment and its effects on the growth and deformation of the cancer domain. I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Yang Epi-Modeling group, working on models to infer risk factors contributing to the recent increases in early-onset cancers. In my spare time, I like watching movies, playing instruments, and reading books.

Peihua Wang
Post-doc Research Scientist
Department of Epidemiology
Mailman School of Public Health
Columbia University
[email protected]

Peihua received his PhD from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong. His dissertation research addressed questions related to the physical and ecological mechanisms underlying infectious disease transmission in built environments. Specifically, he studied surface-mediated transmission dynamics using mathematical modeling and metagenomic sequencing, for devising environmental infection control measures. At Columbia, Peihua is working on the development of model-inference systems to identify key factors contributing to recent measles epidemics and to inform effective elimination strategies. Outside of work, Peihua likes watching documentaries and hiking meditation.

Haokun received her MS in biostatistics from the Mailman School of Public Health and her bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Iowa. She is interested in infectious disease modeling, and her most recent work includes an assessment of the impact of climate factors on influenza transmission in Hong Kong. With Dr. Yang, she is currently working on a project studying the interaction between different respiratory disease viruses at the population level.