Lone Simonsen, PhD, MS

Lone Simonsen is Research Professor and Research Director in the Department of Global Health.

• Phone: (202) 994-6793
• Fax: (202) 994-1955
• Email: iphlxs@gwumc.edu

Dr. Simonsen calls herself a "science buff," and her knowledge of infectious diseases, the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, the use of mathematical models in epidemiology, the methodological challenges of observational studies and the development of novel analytic tools to conduct surveillance all bear that out. So, too, do the many awards she has received from the Department of Health and Humans Services, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

An eager collaborator who has published extensively, Dr. Simonsen has worked with colleagues around the world, especially during her tenure as a senior epidemiologist and head of the Epidemiology Unit at the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases within NIAID, her last position before joining SPHHS in August 2007. In addition to her responsibilities as a visiting professor and Research Director in the Department of Global Health, Dr. Simonsen is also the president and founder of a small business, SAGE Analytica, consulting in surveillance strategies, data analysis, modeling, and international health issues. Dr. Simonsen has been posted temporarily to the World Health Organization on several occasions, including the SARS crisis in 2003 and more recently to assist with pandemic planning efforts.

Since arriving in the United States from her native Denmark in 1987 to pursue a doctoral degree, Dr. Simonsen has felt a strong drive to make a contribution, and sees global health issues as a great way to do it. Speaking of her passion for teaching, Dr. Simonsen says, "I love inspiring students to become self-confident, kind and generous in their collaborations, to spot the good scientific problems and avoid the tedious ones, to think sharply and artfully in their research, and to always use their common sense and be prepared to examine scientific evidence critically."

Education

Bachelor of Sciences (Chemistry/Biology), Roskilde University, Denmark, 1984
Master of Sciences (Chemistry/Biology), Roskilde University, Denmark, 1985
Doctor of Philosophy (Population genetics), University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1992

Teaching

PubH 415: Qualitative Research Methods, Department of Global Health (co-Instructor)
Dr. Simonsen is also a guest lecturer in a number of Department of Global Health courses.

Research

Dr. Simonsen's research expertise includes quantitative methods in health sciences, science-to-policy issues, and the epidemiology of infectious diseases, with a particular emphasis on international health, seasonal and pandemic influenza and other infectious diseases, the value of vaccines, and drug resistance.

Community Service

Dr. Simonsen has shared her expertise on influenza and malaria with the Gates Foundation, served as an expert advisor to the CDC's and WHO's Advisory Committees on Immunization Practices and provided epidemiological support to the World Health Organization. She is also a reviewer for numerous journals, including Nature, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, and Lancet.

Departments

• Global Health

Publications

• Mortality benefits of influenza vaccination in seniors: an ongoing controversy.
  Simonsen L, Taylor RJ, Viboud C, Miller MA, Jackson LA. Mortality benefits of influenza vaccination in seniors: an ongoing controversy. Lancet Inf Dis. In press: 2007.
• Epidemiologic characterization of the summer wave of the 1918 influenza pandemic in Copenhagen: Implications for pandemic control strategies.
  Andreasen V, Viboud C, Simonsen L. Epidemiologic characterization of the summer wave of the 1918 influenza pandemic in Copenhagen: Implications for pandemic control strategies. J Infect Dis. In press 2008 Jan.
• Phylogenetic analysis reveals global circulation patterns of influenza A viruses.
  Nelson MI, Simonsen L, Viboud C, Miller MA, Holmes EC. Phylogenetic analysis reveals global circulation patterns of influenza A viruses. Plos Pathogens. In press: 2007.
• The genesis and spread of reassortant human influenza A/H3N2 viruses conferring adamantane resistance.
  Simonsen L, Viboud C, Grenfell BT, et al. The genesis and spread of reassortant human influenza A/H3N2 viruses conferring adamantane resistance. Mol Biol Evol 2007 Aug;24 (8):1811-20.
• Trends for influenza-related deaths during pandemic and epidemic seasons in Italy, 1969-2001.
  Rizzo C, Bella A, Viboud C, Simonsen L, et al. Trends for influenza-related deaths during pandemic and epidemic seasons in Italy, 1969-2001. Emerg Infect Dis 2007;13(5): 694-9.
• Seasonal patterns of influenza in Brazil: traveling wave from the equator to the sub-tropics.
  Alonso WJ, Viboud C, Simonsen L, et al. Seasonal patterns of influenza in Brazil: traveling wave from the equator to the sub-tropics. Am J Epidemiol 2007 Jun 15;165 (12):1434-42.
• Hospitalizations and deaths from diarrhea and rotavirus in the US, 1993-2003.
  Fischer TK, Viboud C, Parashar U, et al. Hospitalizations and deaths from diarrhea and rotavirus in the US, 1993-2003. J Infect Dis 2007;195 (8):1117-25.
• Vaccinating to protect a vulnerable subpopulation.
  Dushoff J , Plotkin JB, Viboud C, Simonsen L, et al. Vaccinating to protect a vulnerable subpopulation. PLoS Med 2007;4 (5):e174.
• A multivalent human-bovine (UK) rotavirus reassortant vaccine for developing countries worldwide.
  Kapikian AZ, Hoshino Y, Chanock RM, Vesikari T, Simonsen L. A multivalent human-bovine (UK) rotavirus reassortant vaccine for developing countries worldwide. Chin J Vaccines Immuniz 2005;11 (Suppl):pp. 67-8, 87 [in English]; pp. 64-6 [Chinese].
• The NIAID-led Influenza Genome Sequencing Project.
  Simonsen L, Bernabe G, Lacourciere K, Giovanni M. The NIAID-led Influenza Genome Sequencing Project. In: Proceedings from the NIAID investigator meeting, Croatia 2006 [Humana press]. In press 2007.
• Disease control priorities in developing countries.
  Bloom BR, Michaud CM, LaMontagne JR, Simonsen L. In: Jamison et al., editors. Disease control priorities in developing countries. 2nd ed. Washington DC: Oxford University Press and the World Bank, 2006; 103-18.
• Stochastic processes are key determinants of short-term evolution in influenza A virus.
  Nelson M, Simonsen L, Viboud C, et al. Stochastic processes are key determinants of short-term evolution in influenza A virus. PloS Path 2006;2 (12):e125.
• Influenza-related mortality in the Italian elderly: No decline associated with increasing vaccination coverage.
  Rizzo C, Viboud C, Montomoli E, et al. Influenza-related mortality in the Italian elderly: No decline associated with increasing vaccination coverage. Vaccine. 2006;24 (42-43):6468-75.
• Transmissibility and mortality impact of epidemic and pandemic influenza, with emphasis on the unusually deadly 1951 epidemic.
  Viboud C, Tam T, Fleming D, Handel A, Miller MA, Simonsen L. Transmissibility and mortality impact of epidemic and pandemic influenza, with emphasis on the unusually deadly 1951 epidemic. Vaccine 2006;24 (44-46):6701-7.
• Synchrony, waves, and spatial hierarchies in the spread of influenza.
  Viboud C, Bjornstad ON, Smith DL et al. Synchrony, waves, and spatial hierarchies in the spread of influenza. Science. 2006 Apr 21;312 (5772):447-51.
• Influenza in the tropics.
  Viboud C, Alonso WJ, Simonsen L. Influenza in the tropics. PloS Med 2006 Mar 7;3(4):e89.
• 1951 influenza epidemic, England and Wales, Canada and the United States.
  Viboud C, Tam T, Fleming D, et al. 1951 influenza epidemic, England and Wales, Canada and the United States. Emerg Infect Dis 2006 April (4):661-8.
• Antibody Response to Influenza Vaccination in the Elderly: A Quantitative Review.
  Goodwin K, Viboud C, Simonsen L. Antibody Response to Influenza Vaccination in the Elderly: A Quantitative Review. Vaccine 2006 Feb 20;24(8):1159-69.
• Mortality due to influenza in the United States-an annualized regression approach using multiple-cause mortality data.
  Dushoff J, Plotkin J, Viboud C, et al. Mortality due to influenza in the United States-an annualized regression approach using multiple-cause mortality data. Am J Epidemiol 2006 Jan 15;163(2):181-7.
• Multinational impact of the 1968 Hong Kong influenza pandemic: evidence for a smoldering pandemic.
  Viboud C, Grais RF, Lafont BA, et al. Multinational impact of the 1968 Hong Kong influenza pandemic: evidence for a smoldering pandemic. J Infect Dis 2005;192(2):233-48.
• Impact of influenza vaccination on seasonal mortality in the US elderly population.
  Simonsen L, Reichert TA, Viboud C, et al. Impact of influenza vaccination on seasonal mortality in the US elderly population. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165 (3):265-72.
• More on rotaShield and intussusception: the role of age at the time of vaccination.
  Simonsen L, Viboud C, Elixhauser A, et al. More on rotaShield and intussusception: the role of age at the time of vaccination. J Infect Dis 2005:192 Suppl 1:S36-43.
• A hexavalent human rotavirus-bovine rotavirus (UK) reassortant vaccine designed for use in developing countries and delivered in a schedule with the potential to eliminate the risk of intussusception.
  Kapikian AZ, Simonsen L, Vesikari T, et al. A hexavalent human rotavirus-bovine rotavirus (UK) reassortant vaccine designed for use in developing countries and delivered in a schedule with the potential to eliminate the risk of intussusception. J Infect Dis 2005:192 Suppl 1:S22-9.
• The 1918 influenza pandemic revisited: Evidence for a herald wave of mortality in New York City during early spring 1918.
  Olson DR, Simonsen L, Edelson PJ, Morse SS. The 1918 influenza pandemic revisited: Evidence for a herald wave of mortality in New York City during early spring 1918. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2005;102 (31):11059-63.
• Commentary: Observational studies and the art of accurately measuring influenza vaccine benefits
  Simonsen L. Commentary: Observational studies and the art of accurately measuring influenza vaccine benefits Int J Epidemiol 2007 Jun;36 (3):631-2.
• Commentary: Benefits of influenza vaccine in US elderly - new studies raise questions.
  Glezen WP, Simonsen L. Commentary: Benefits of influenza vaccine in US elderly - new studies raise questions. Intl J Epidemiol 2006 Apr;35 (2):352-3.
• Air travel and the spread of influenza: important caveats.
  Viboud C, Miller MA, Grenfell BT, et al. Air travel and the spread of influenza: important caveats. PLoS Med. 2006; 3(11):e503.
• Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): developing a research response.
  La Montagne JM, Simonsen L, et al. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS): developing a research response. J Infect Dis 2004:189;634-41.
• Pandemic influenza and mortality: past evidence and projections for the future.
  Simonsen L, Olson D, Viboud C, et al. Pandemic influenza and mortality: past evidence and projections for the future. In: Institute of Medicine, Pandemic influenza –are we ready? Forum on Microbial Threats series 2004. 1-26-46.
• Global trends on drug resistance TB.
  Espinal M, Hoffner S, Simonsen L, et al. Global trends on drug resistance TB. New Engl J Med 2001; 344 (17):1294-1303.