Dr. Casey Middleton
@caseymiddleton.bsky.social
Infectious disease modeling
Views are my own
Views are my own
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
We’ve just released Epistorm-Mix, a new open dataset on how people in the U.S. mix across ages and settings in the post-COVID era.
📊 Contact-level data + contact matrices
Built for epidemic modeling & forecasting
Fully open data & code
🔗 www.epistorm.org/data/epistor...
📊 Contact-level data + contact matrices
Built for epidemic modeling & forecasting
Fully open data & code
🔗 www.epistorm.org/data/epistor...
Epistorm-Mix: Mapping Social Contact Patterns in the Post-Pandemic United States
Epistorm-Mix provides individual-level contact data and contacts patterns characterization relevant for the spread of respiratory infectious diseases within the US population.
www.epistorm.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:11 PM
We’ve just released Epistorm-Mix, a new open dataset on how people in the U.S. mix across ages and settings in the post-COVID era.
📊 Contact-level data + contact matrices
Built for epidemic modeling & forecasting
Fully open data & code
🔗 www.epistorm.org/data/epistor...
📊 Contact-level data + contact matrices
Built for epidemic modeling & forecasting
Fully open data & code
🔗 www.epistorm.org/data/epistor...
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
I've been on the road so I'm behind the times—but if you wanted to destroy US science, I can think of no more expedient action.
Blatant unconstitutionality aside, fuck this backwards forwards and sideways.
www.science.org/content/article/u-s-congress-considers-sweeping-ban-chinese-collaborations
Blatant unconstitutionality aside, fuck this backwards forwards and sideways.
www.science.org/content/article/u-s-congress-considers-sweeping-ban-chinese-collaborations
November 14, 2025 at 3:03 AM
I've been on the road so I'm behind the times—but if you wanted to destroy US science, I can think of no more expedient action.
Blatant unconstitutionality aside, fuck this backwards forwards and sideways.
www.science.org/content/article/u-s-congress-considers-sweeping-ban-chinese-collaborations
Blatant unconstitutionality aside, fuck this backwards forwards and sideways.
www.science.org/content/article/u-s-congress-considers-sweeping-ban-chinese-collaborations
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
Every fall, for the last 13 years, I have worked with CDC and WHO colleagues on a report in MMWR to update the estimates of the global burden of measles disease and mortality. This year we were already planning to publish in WER because of restrictions on communication between WHO and CDC.
October 11, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Every fall, for the last 13 years, I have worked with CDC and WHO colleagues on a report in MMWR to update the estimates of the global burden of measles disease and mortality. This year we were already planning to publish in WER because of restrictions on communication between WHO and CDC.
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
1/ Hey, do you need some #goodnews? I know I do. Between the noise and the chaos, it helps to stop and remember what progress actually looks like.
Here are four public health wins to give you some good news for the week 👇
Here are four public health wins to give you some good news for the week 👇
October 9, 2025 at 5:55 PM
1/ Hey, do you need some #goodnews? I know I do. Between the noise and the chaos, it helps to stop and remember what progress actually looks like.
Here are four public health wins to give you some good news for the week 👇
Here are four public health wins to give you some good news for the week 👇
Why, in this incredible world of technological advancements, are published inline equations still blurry? 😵💫
October 1, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Why, in this incredible world of technological advancements, are published inline equations still blurry? 😵💫
#Vaccines save babies! And they do it so well when we allocate resources to achieve high vaccination rates instead of meh vaccination rates 💉
A story about how complicated something as simple as vaccination is, everywhere. In Fall of 2024, I was part of a team that argued to the WHO to recommend that rubella vaccination be added to the national schedule for all countries. That recommendation was approved, and we were elated. 1/
September 19, 2025 at 2:26 PM
#Vaccines save babies! And they do it so well when we allocate resources to achieve high vaccination rates instead of meh vaccination rates 💉
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
1/ Today and tomorrow, #ACIP —the external body that sets vaccine policy—is holding a special session. One item on the agenda is the highly anticipated vote for the Covid vaccine. We’re expecting VAERS data to be misused to suggest 25 pediatric deaths were caused by the vaccine. Here are the facts👇
September 18, 2025 at 3:17 PM
1/ Today and tomorrow, #ACIP —the external body that sets vaccine policy—is holding a special session. One item on the agenda is the highly anticipated vote for the Covid vaccine. We’re expecting VAERS data to be misused to suggest 25 pediatric deaths were caused by the vaccine. Here are the facts👇
I am pretty sure I had COVID-19 earlier this month, but I tested negative (by RDT) on days 1 & 3 of infection.
How do you satisfy your academic curiosities about what pathogen has infected you without spending tons of $$ on diagnostic tests?
How do you satisfy your academic curiosities about what pathogen has infected you without spending tons of $$ on diagnostic tests?
September 17, 2025 at 8:29 PM
I am pretty sure I had COVID-19 earlier this month, but I tested negative (by RDT) on days 1 & 3 of infection.
How do you satisfy your academic curiosities about what pathogen has infected you without spending tons of $$ on diagnostic tests?
How do you satisfy your academic curiosities about what pathogen has infected you without spending tons of $$ on diagnostic tests?
I see news outlets reporting on falling ‘fertility rates,’ and I find this terminology non-intuitive… and potentially problematic.
Falling fertility rates tell us about reductions in women’s birth rates, not reductions in women’s fertility!
Let me explain:
Falling fertility rates tell us about reductions in women’s birth rates, not reductions in women’s fertility!
Let me explain:
August 1, 2025 at 5:44 PM
I see news outlets reporting on falling ‘fertility rates,’ and I find this terminology non-intuitive… and potentially problematic.
Falling fertility rates tell us about reductions in women’s birth rates, not reductions in women’s fertility!
Let me explain:
Falling fertility rates tell us about reductions in women’s birth rates, not reductions in women’s fertility!
Let me explain:
Reason #2,946 to keep funding science:
color mix undoification 🤯
color mix undoification 🤯
Colored droplets in corn syrup seemingly blended together can be returned to their original state by reversing the direction of mixing, a form of laminar flow called "Stokes flow".
Credit: UNM Physics & Astronomy
Credit: UNM Physics & Astronomy
July 15, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Reason #2,946 to keep funding science:
color mix undoification 🤯
color mix undoification 🤯
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
Sang Woo (Daniel) Park and I are excited to share a new preprint, "Susceptible host dynamics explain pathogen resilience to perturbations" [1/8]
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
June 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Sang Woo (Daniel) Park and I are excited to share a new preprint, "Susceptible host dynamics explain pathogen resilience to perturbations" [1/8]
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
I don’t see enough people talking about how hard it is to search for this emoji 💁♀️
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SEARCH FOR PLEASE TELL ME
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SEARCH FOR PLEASE TELL ME
May 28, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I don’t see enough people talking about how hard it is to search for this emoji 💁♀️
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SEARCH FOR PLEASE TELL ME
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SEARCH FOR PLEASE TELL ME
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
🧵1/N New study published in @jama.com on re-emergence of vaccine-eliminated infectious diseases under declining vaccination in the US. We model long-term risk and conditions for return to endemicity for measles, rubella, polio, & diphtheria. Collab w/ @Mathewkiang.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
April 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM
🧵1/N New study published in @jama.com on re-emergence of vaccine-eliminated infectious diseases under declining vaccination in the US. We model long-term risk and conditions for return to endemicity for measles, rubella, polio, & diphtheria. Collab w/ @Mathewkiang.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
Interesting new pre-print on test-negative designs and implications for estimating correlates of protection: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
April 10, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Interesting new pre-print on test-negative designs and implications for estimating correlates of protection: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
New commentary on pandemic surveillance and the need to have it be repeatable/continuous for updating, out in @pnas.org with Freya Shearer of Uni Melbourne: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
The importance of playing the long game when it comes to pandemic surveillance | PNAS
The importance of playing the long game when it comes to pandemic surveillance
www.pnas.org
April 9, 2025 at 6:24 PM
New commentary on pandemic surveillance and the need to have it be repeatable/continuous for updating, out in @pnas.org with Freya Shearer of Uni Melbourne: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
A glimmer of good news amidst the chaos! On Monday, I successfully defended my PhD focused on infectious disease modeling. And yes, my thesis title is an acronym for my last name.
With gratitude to the incredible friends and mentors who got me here…
Dr. Casey Middleton, reporting for duty 🫡🦠
With gratitude to the incredible friends and mentors who got me here…
Dr. Casey Middleton, reporting for duty 🫡🦠
April 9, 2025 at 8:16 PM
A glimmer of good news amidst the chaos! On Monday, I successfully defended my PhD focused on infectious disease modeling. And yes, my thesis title is an acronym for my last name.
With gratitude to the incredible friends and mentors who got me here…
Dr. Casey Middleton, reporting for duty 🫡🦠
With gratitude to the incredible friends and mentors who got me here…
Dr. Casey Middleton, reporting for duty 🫡🦠
The cycle of dissertation writing:
1. Don’t sleep well
2. Too busy for nap
3. Drink afternoon coffee
🔁 Repeat
1. Don’t sleep well
2. Too busy for nap
3. Drink afternoon coffee
🔁 Repeat
April 4, 2025 at 2:49 PM
The cycle of dissertation writing:
1. Don’t sleep well
2. Too busy for nap
3. Drink afternoon coffee
🔁 Repeat
1. Don’t sleep well
2. Too busy for nap
3. Drink afternoon coffee
🔁 Repeat
Dad from Kentucky: “We finally started feeding our baby raw milk and he has grown like crazy!”
Me: “Oh. Aren’t you worried about bird flu?”
KY Dad: “Well I know the farmer and I’ve met his cows.”
Me: “….”
Someone hire this man with his 🪄 diagnostic capabilities. He can detect H5N1 just by sight!
Me: “Oh. Aren’t you worried about bird flu?”
KY Dad: “Well I know the farmer and I’ve met his cows.”
Me: “….”
Someone hire this man with his 🪄 diagnostic capabilities. He can detect H5N1 just by sight!
March 14, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Dad from Kentucky: “We finally started feeding our baby raw milk and he has grown like crazy!”
Me: “Oh. Aren’t you worried about bird flu?”
KY Dad: “Well I know the farmer and I’ve met his cows.”
Me: “….”
Someone hire this man with his 🪄 diagnostic capabilities. He can detect H5N1 just by sight!
Me: “Oh. Aren’t you worried about bird flu?”
KY Dad: “Well I know the farmer and I’ve met his cows.”
Me: “….”
Someone hire this man with his 🪄 diagnostic capabilities. He can detect H5N1 just by sight!
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
I’m getting tired of saying “this is so fucked up!” everyday.
March 13, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I’m getting tired of saying “this is so fucked up!” everyday.
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
In September in Geneva we applauded a major milestone in the effort to eradicate measles and rubella viruses from the face of the earth.
Today an unvaccinated child has died of measles in the country where the vaccine was developed.
This is not greatness.
Today an unvaccinated child has died of measles in the country where the vaccine was developed.
This is not greatness.
February 26, 2025 at 4:59 PM
In September in Geneva we applauded a major milestone in the effort to eradicate measles and rubella viruses from the face of the earth.
Today an unvaccinated child has died of measles in the country where the vaccine was developed.
This is not greatness.
Today an unvaccinated child has died of measles in the country where the vaccine was developed.
This is not greatness.
It’s Saturday afternoon. You get a work email from someone claiming to be an auditor, but they don’t sign the email. Who is this from? Is it legit? They ask you to describe what you accomplished last week.
What do you do?
You do what those security trainings taught you.
*Report as phishing*
What do you do?
You do what those security trainings taught you.
*Report as phishing*
a penguin wearing a fisherman 's hat with fish hooks on it
ALT: a penguin wearing a fisherman 's hat with fish hooks on it
media.tenor.com
February 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
It’s Saturday afternoon. You get a work email from someone claiming to be an auditor, but they don’t sign the email. Who is this from? Is it legit? They ask you to describe what you accomplished last week.
What do you do?
You do what those security trainings taught you.
*Report as phishing*
What do you do?
You do what those security trainings taught you.
*Report as phishing*
Last week, I had the honor of receiving 2nd place at CU Boulder's 3MT competition. This competition challenges grad students to distill their thesis down into a 3 minute talk for a general audience. My talk focused on how viral kinetics and probability theory inform testing policies... in < 3 mins ⏰
February 19, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Last week, I had the honor of receiving 2nd place at CU Boulder's 3MT competition. This competition challenges grad students to distill their thesis down into a 3 minute talk for a general audience. My talk focused on how viral kinetics and probability theory inform testing policies... in < 3 mins ⏰
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
One of our supporters shared this with us—people are getting creative tonight!
February 14, 2025 at 4:25 AM
One of our supporters shared this with us—people are getting creative tonight!
Reposted by Dr. Casey Middleton
Continuing the recruitment trend! Our lab has 2 (!) open postdoc positions🥳
We're looking for creative and curious scientists to lead new projects: one on deep-sea biological rhythms and another on the evolution of biological communication🐚🦗🦋🐙🦉
If you know someone who'd be a good fit, please share!
We're looking for creative and curious scientists to lead new projects: one on deep-sea biological rhythms and another on the evolution of biological communication🐚🦗🦋🐙🦉
If you know someone who'd be a good fit, please share!
February 13, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Continuing the recruitment trend! Our lab has 2 (!) open postdoc positions🥳
We're looking for creative and curious scientists to lead new projects: one on deep-sea biological rhythms and another on the evolution of biological communication🐚🦗🦋🐙🦉
If you know someone who'd be a good fit, please share!
We're looking for creative and curious scientists to lead new projects: one on deep-sea biological rhythms and another on the evolution of biological communication🐚🦗🦋🐙🦉
If you know someone who'd be a good fit, please share!