The project “Virus Spread in Networks” (ViSioN) is funded by ERC as an Advanced Grant 2020. ViSioN presents a Network Science view on virus spread in networks, in which the duality between the virus transmission process and the contact graph is key. The devastating Corona crisis reveals two major shortcomings in traditional epidemiology. First, it ignores the human contact graph and implicitly assumes a homogeneous population without specific graph structure. Second, most models for the virus spreading process relate to a Markovian setting, with exponential infection and curing times, leading to an exponential decay of the epidemic. Measurements, however, point to significantly different infection and curing time distributions. In addition, digital technology can help in constructing the contact graph and combined with medical testing, all infected can be detected. ViSioN aims to develop the theory of non-Markovian epidemic process on networks, a surprisingly missing element today, because non-Markovian theory is needed to tell, based on the characteristic infection and curing times of the virus, how long a pandemic will last and when the peak occurs. Next, ViSioN will combine all available measurement technologies to construct the best possible contact graph via temporal networking or adaptive networking. Finally, ViSioN will explore how accurately infections can be predicted under partial information of process and contact graph.
ViSioN is organized into 5 PhD tracks which work together and complement each other. In addition, 2 postdocs are added to the team.