Phrutsamon Wongnak
Mathematical modeller
I am a veterinary epidemiologist specialising in mathematical and statistical modelling of infectious diseases, with a focus on zoonoses and vector-borne diseases. My past research spans a range of pathogens at the human-animal interface, including tick ecology and tick-borne diseases, zoonotic parasites in companion animals, rabies, leptospirosis, and transboundary animal diseases across Southeast Asia.
More recently, I have worked as a data analyst within the Clinical Trials Support Group at MORU, where I have been involved in pharmacometric analyses for large adaptive platform trials for antivirals against respiratory infections, including PLATCOV (COVID-19), AD ASTRA (influenza), and ARSYNAL-FC (RSV).
My main interest going forward is in neglected tropical diseases, particularly mite- and tick-borne diseases, such as scrub typhus and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. I plan to develop a research programme combining field-based vector surveillance with ecological and transmission modelling, to better understand what drives spillover risk and how surveillance and control efforts can be more effectively targeted. I am particularly interested in how climate and environmental change shape vector distributions and disease risk over time.
Recent publications
The evolving epidemiology of scrub typhus in Thailand (2003–2024): insights from latent process modelling of national surveillance data
Preprint
Wongnak P. et al, (2026)
Immunization gaps and measles outbreaks in ASEAN (2015-2025): A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Journal article
Mercado VJ. et al, (2026), Journal of infection and public health, 19
Characterizing viral clearance kinetics in acute influenza.
Journal article
Wongnak P. et al, (2026), Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 381
Accurate Measurement of Viral Clearance in Early-Phase Antiviral Studies in Coronavirus Disease 2019
Journal article
Wongnak P. et al, (2026), The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 233, e582 - e584
Antiviral efficacy of oral ensitrelvir versus oral ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir in COVID-19 (PLATCOV): an open-label, phase 2, randomised, controlled, adaptive trial
Journal article
Schilling WHK. et al, (2026), The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 26, 139 - 147