Will Pelletiers

Spatial Epidemiology and Modelling of Emerging Zoonotic Diseases in Africa

Will is a doctoral student in the School of Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on the spatial epidemiology of emerging infectious diseases, particularly the role of environmental conditions, climate change, human connectivity, and geographic inequalities in shaping disease transmission across sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, he uses spatial statistical modelling, machine learning, and geographic information systems (GIS) to investigate the ecological suitability and potential spread of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases.

Alongside his doctoral studies, William is involved in teaching quantitative methods, statistics, and health and medical geography to undergraduate and postgraduate students at Oxford. Prior to joining Oxford, he worked as a Senior Research Analyst for the Utah Supreme Court's Office of Legal Services Innovation, where he led the development of data reporting systems and conducted policy-oriented research to support regulatory oversight and improve access to justice. He has also conducted research at the Yale School of Medicine examining demographic inequalities in clinical trial participation and has worked with public health agencies and non-profit organisations on projects involving spatial inequalities, healthcare access, and social determinants of health.

Will holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases from Yale University and a BA in Public Health, with minors in Political Science and German, from Moravian College in the United States.

• Kwon, J., Correa, M., Kong, Y., Pelletiers, W., Wade, M., Olson, D. and Pettigrew, M. (2025) Microbiome signatures of Clostridioides difficile toxin production and toxin gene presence: a shotgun metagenomic approach. mSphere, 10(10).
• Miller, J., Pelletiers, W., Gross, C., Mello, M., Ramachandran, R., Schwartz, J., Suttriatana, S., Varma, T. and Ross, J. (2025) Representation of Women, Older Adults, and Racial and Ethnic Minoritized Patients in Pivotal Trials for US Food and Drug Administration Novel Oncology Therapeutic Approvals, 2012-2021: Bright Spot Trials and Trends over Time. JCO Oncology Practice, 22(3): 528-535.
• *Kwon, J., *Pelletiers, W., Pena, J., van Duin, D., Ledbetter, L., Baum, K., Ruffin, F., Knisely, J, Bizzell, E., Fowler, V., Chambers, H. and Pettigrew, M. (2024) Participant Diversity in United States Randomized Controlled Trials of Antibacterials for Staphylococcus aureus Infections, 2000-2021. Clinical Infectious Diseases. Ciae049. *co-first authors
• Miller, J., Pelletiers, W., Suttiratana, S., Michael, M., Schwartz, K., Ramachandran, R., Gross, C. and Ross, J. (2024) Harnessing policy to promote inclusive medical product evidence: development of a reference standard and structured audit of clinical trial diversity policies. BMJ Medicine, 3: e000920.