Nicholas A. Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH, began a new study to exploit mathematical insights about social networks to assess students’ vulnerability for acquiring the flu. Christakis randomly selected 650 Harvard University undergraduates and their friends to report their popularity and flu-like symptoms. Christakis hopes to discover how social network placement influences the spread of diseases. Echoing his remarks in an interview conducted by the Harvard Crimson, Christakis says, “By looking both at whether a person has had the flu and where he or she is in the social network, we think we can get an early warning of an epidemic.”  He adds that “If this works, we’ll have invented a new method for tracking diseases, which could have broad relevance far outside Harvard.”

For further information about Dr. Christakis' book, read coverage by the Harvard Gazette.