French Research Action on Modelling Epidemics (FRAME)

Activities

The French Research Action on Modelling Epidemics (FRAME) was set up when ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases (ANRS MIE) was launched, building on a pre-existing working group on modelling the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. It is thus a continuation of the regular interactions between the various research teams in France involved in infectious disease modelling.

FRAME brings together the majority of French teams working on the subject and has around 170 members, including a large number of young researchers. Its thematic spectrum is broad, focusing on the modelling of human infectious diseases but exploring possible connections with related fields such as animal and plant epidemiology and modelling, the development of new applied mathematics tools, and evolutionary biology.

Its activities have three main objectives:

• to develop cutting-edge research based on a core group of modellers selected for their expertise in key issues or topics identified by the FRAME members;
• to develop and maintain a large and active community of modellers with more varied interests, capable of feeding the FRAME’s work with questions and new approaches emerging in related fields;
• to strengthen links with other disciplines and other Coordinated Actions within the ANRS MIE.

Chair and Co-Chair

Board members

Workgroups

Eight working groups (WGs) have been organised within FRAME.

Modelling intra–host dynamics

Coordinators: Jérémie Guedj and Mélanie Prague

Launched in 2021, this WG covers the following topics:

• Modelling of virological and immune responses,
• Integrated modelling of multi-source biomarkers, including omics data,
• Multi-scale modelling for viral transmission,
• Quantitative analysis of vaccine response,
• Modelling of the microbiota and impact of antibiotics on the intestine,
• Biostatistics and methods for inference.

In 2025, the WG was instrumental in organising the 7th Workshop on Virus Dynamics international conference, held in Bordeaux from 14 to 16 October 2025, and contributed to the organisation of the opening day on the theme of Modelling and Vaccination organised by the AC in March 2025.

Taking behaviour into account in epidemic dynamics models

Coordinators: Paolo Bosetti and Jocelyn Raude

In 2025, this WG, created in 2021, organised several seminars and workshops:

• ‘Using AI to quantify behaviour and health risks associated with infectious diseases’, Caroline Van Cauwelaert (EPCON AI) (19/02/2025, webinar)
• ‘Behavioural factors associated with mosquito exposure’, with Panpim Thongsripong (University of Florida), Lina Cristancho-Fajardo (Institut Pasteur), Isaac Polanco Almonte & Faith Zaphaniah (EHESP School of Public Health) (04/06/2025, online meeting)
• EPICONTACTS2025: workshop and course on the use of contact data to model epidemics (8-9 December 2025)

Modelling the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Coordinator: Samuel Alizon

Launched in 2023, after the AC Scientific Committee meeting at the end of 2022 identified a clear lack of modellers in France working on this topic, this group now consists of 33 participants, with strong representation from Santé publique France and associations (TRT-5, Act’Up). It is dedicated to the study of STIs such as HIV, hepatitis and papillomavirus. Its objective is to develop various modelling techniques, in particular methods for estimating the incidence of partially hidden epidemic dynamics and methods and models for exploiting viral genomic data, combining epidemiology, intra-host dynamics, mathematics and statistics. It covers several affiliations (CNRS, INSERM, INRAE, SpF, TRT-05) and regions (Paris, Bordeaux, Avignon, Montpellier, Toulouse, Lausanne, London). The group interacts with ANRS (AC IST, PEPFAR and public health agencies (ARS IDF).

Modelling of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases

Coordinators: Raphaëlle Métras and Simon Cauchemez

Launched in 2023 after the need to strengthen the community and interactions between its members on these topics was identified at the AC Scientific Committee meeting in November 2022. The number of participants increased from 6 in 2023 to 44 in 2025.

In 2025, the WG contributed to the establishment of a consortium that won funding from the PEPR Maths-Vives project on understanding and anticipating the dynamics of arboviruses (mainly dengue fever) in metropolitan France. The WG also organised a face-to-face meeting in Jussieu in March 2025 involving modellers and staff from Santé Publique France.

Application of Deep Learning approaches to epidemiology

Coordinator: Eugenio Valdano

This WG has 19 members. It organised four seminars in 2025:

• ‘Reinforcement learning,’ Pieter Libin (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium) (31/01/2025)
• ‘Foundational time series models,’ Suprabhath Kalahasti (Sorbonne U, Inserm, Paris, France) (26/02/2025)
• ‘Graph neural networks’, Wei Jin (Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA) (14/05/2025)
• ‘DL-based phylodynamics’, Anna Zhukova (Pasteur Institute, Paris, France) (17/11/2025)

Preparation for a possible H5N1 influenza pandemic

Coordinator: Vittoria Colizza

This working group focuses on preparing the modelling community in the event that H5N1 achieves sustained and efficient human-to-human transmission. It aims to better prepare modelling activities in the face of a new influenza pandemic.

Advanced teaching of infectious disease modelling methods

Coordinator: Lulla Opatowski

Several introductory courses on modelling exist in France, but there is no advanced modelling course. This WG is considering the creation of such a course.

Methodology for the practical use of PMSI and SNDS data

Coordinator: Pascal Crépey

This WG runs a mailing list for the exchange of best practices for data use.

Previous working groups

• Mesoscopic models of epidemic dynamics (2021–2024) – Initiator: Elisabeta Vergu – Coordinator: Eugenio Valdano
• COVID-19 and respiratory diseases (2020–2022) – Coordinator: Simon Cauchemez

In addition, since 2021, discussions have been underway on lessons learned from Covid-19, and in particular on identifying the organisational and coordination changes between crisis management actors that would be necessary to improve the response to emerging diseases. These discussions are coordinated by Pascal Crépey and Harold Noël.

Modelling and COVID-19

To illustrate the broad range of questions central to the activities of the Coordinated Action on Infectious Disease Modelling, here is a series of editorials coordinated by Mircea Sofonea and published in Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain Medicine in April 2022