Dr. Rowan Durrant

At IDDConf 2023.

Contact Information

MacTheobio Group
McMaster University - Department of Biology
Hamilton, Ontario
Canada

Email: durrar1@mcmaster.ca
Bluesky: @rowandurrant.bsky.social
Pronouns: she/her
Name pronunciation: roe-un duh-runt

Research Interests

I am a postdoctoral biomathematician working at the intersection of outbreak modelling and viral evolution. I am interested in how the host shapes the pathogen's genome, how outbreaks can affect host genetics, and how viral genomic data can be best used to make a real-world impact on the response to an outbreak. I have worked on rabies, devil facial tumour disease, and prion diseases.

My PhD thesis is available to read here: Genetic analysis of the rabies virus.

I will be looking for a new postdoctoral position starting in Spring/Summer 2026- if you know of any opportunities to work on a project related to disease modelling and genomics, especially Scotland-based, please contact me at the email address above!

Publications

• Durrant, R., Cobbold, C., Brunker, K., Campbell, K., Dushoff, J., Ferguson, E., Jaswant, G., Lugelo, A., Lushasi, K., Sikana, L., and Hampson, K. Examining the molecular clock hypothesis for the contemporary evolution of the rabies virus. PLOS Pathogens 20(11): e1012740.
• Yuson, M., Bautista, C., Rees, E.M., Bogaardt, C., Cruz, V.D.D., Durrant, R., Formstone, A., Manalo, D.L., Manzanilla, D.R., Kundergorski, M., Nacion, L., Aloyon, H., Bolivar, J.K., Bondoc, J., Cobbold, C., Panganiban, E., Telmo, S.V.M., Maestro, J., Miranda, M.E.G., Rui Chng, N., Brunker, K., and Hampson, K. Combining genomics and epidemiology to investigate a zoonotic outbreak of rabies in Romblon Province, Philippines. Nature Communications 15, 10753.
• Jaswant, G., Campbell, K., Czupryna, A., Mwatondo, A., Ogoti, B., Embregts, C.W.E., Kayuki, C., Kuchaka, D., Wambura, G., Oigo, J., Changalucha, J., Oyugi, J.O., Lushasi, K., Sikana, L., van Zwetselaar, M., Dekker, M.C.J., Muturi, M., Maritim, M., Mutunga, M., Durrant, R., Abala, T., Chuchu, V., Brunker, K., Thumbi, S.M., and Hampson, K. Molecular characterisation of human rabies in Tanzania and Kenya: a case series report and phylogenetic investigation. Infectious Diseases of Poverty 13, 79.

• Bautista, C., Jaswant, G., French, H., Campbell, C., Durrant, R., Gifford, R., Kia, G.S.N., Ogoti, B., Hampson, K., and Brunker, K. Whole genome sequencing for rapid characterization of rabies virus using Nanopore technology. JoVE (198) e65414.

• Durrant, R., Hamede, R., Wells, K., and Lurgi, M. Disruption of metapopulation structure reduces Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease spread at the expense of abundance and genetic diversity. Pathogens 10(12): 1592.

Preprints

• Nothing here right now!

What am I doing right now?

(Last updated 29 August 2025 - archive)

• Currently reading: Down by Andy Kirkpatrick