We are PETAL
Pandemic and Epidemic Threat Analysis Lab
PETAL utilises cutting-edge computational modelling to explore how infectious diseases spread and to enhance preparedness and response strategies for public health emergencies.
Computational epidemiology to support pandemic preparedness and outbreak response
Led by Dr Charles Whittaker, the Pandemic and Epidemic Threat Analysis Lab (PETAL) at UC Berkeley is an interdisciplinary research group dedicated to reducing pandemic risks by turning cutting-edge computational science into actionable public-health guidance. We use advanced analytical approaches spanning epidemiological modelling, viral phylodynamics and machine learning to uncover new insights into how pathogens spread through populations and to enhance preparedness and response strategies for public-health emergencies, in work that is underpinned by a global partnership network spanning Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia and close collaboration with public-health agencies and multilateral partners.
Our mission
My research is grounded in a belief that all people, present and future, deserve to live healthy lives safe from pandemic threats, and pursues scientific questions of public-health relevance that support this goal. We work toward that vision by developing cutting-edge computational analytics and epidemiological models that pinpoint where, when, and how emerging pathogens can be stopped. Our science is deeply translational: designed and executed in partnership with public-health agencies so that every result feeds directly into policies, tools, and countermeasures with real-world impact. It is also inherently global, undertaken with collaborators on every continent and driven by the conviction that advancing health worldwide is both a matter of justice for those still underserved and a shared investment in our collective resilience.
Dr. Charles Whittaker, PhD
Assistant Professor
PETAL is supported by
