University of Sheffield leads research to tackle global threat of African swine fever
Researchers at the University of Sheffield are leading an international programme to improve the prediction and prevention of African swine fever.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield are leading an international programme to improve the prediction and prevention of African swine fever (ASF), a highly lethal disease threatening pig farming, farmers’ livelihoods and food security worldwide.
The project, ASF Nexus, led by Professor Pete Dodd, Professor of Mathematical Modelling and Epidemiology, School of Medicine and Population Health brings together experts in bioscience, mathematics, economics and behavioural science. ASF Nexus aims to investigate how the disease spreads and how future outbreaks can be prevented, with a focus on the UK and Southeast Asia. Research will begin in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, with potential to expand across the region.
The programme is part of a UK government and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) investment of £54 million supporting 18 projects addressing biological threats to human, animal and plant health.
ASF affects domestic pigs and wild boar, causing serious animal welfare concerns and significant economic losses. Its spread is influenced not only by the virus itself, but also by farming practices, economic pressures, social attitudes and local governance.
ASF Nexus will combine biological research with economic and social science to understand these factors and develop practical, locally relevant prevention strategies.
Researchers will investigate why outbreaks occur, model how the disease could spread and assess the economic impacts of different outbreak-response measures. Working with local stakeholders, the team aims to develop open-access predictive tools, guidance for farming communities and evidence-based policy recommendations.
Professor Dodd said: “I’m delighted that UKRI has backed ASF Nexus. African swine fever is one of the most serious threats facing pig farming worldwide. This award will enable us to bring together expertise in viral biology, epidemiology, mathematics, economics and behavioural science to better understand and address this threat. It also represents a truly collaborative effort across multiple institutions and countries.”
Professor Tuck Seng Wong, Director of the UK-SEA Vax Hub and co-lead of the project, added: “This grant further strengthens the UK-SEA Vax Hub’s work in One Health, recognising the interconnectedness of animal and human health and enabling a more holistic and effective approach to addressing the complex societal challenges we face.”
The project brings together the University of Sheffield, the University of Liverpool’s Pandemic Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre in Malaysia and Thailand’s National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.
By combining scientific evidence with economic analysis and local knowledge, ASF Nexus aims to help farmers and policymakers make better-informed decisions, strengthen disease preparedness and build more resilient farming communities.
The wider UKRI investment is co-funded by government partners, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Department of Health and Social Care. Other funded projects will address biological threats ranging from antimicrobial resistance to epidemic preparedness and next-generation veterinary vaccines.