Research program
Health Systems
Post-viral illness and brainstem attractor dynamics
Investigates ME/CFS and post-viral syndromes as emergent attractor states — conditions where the nervous system settles into a dysfunctional stable basin following viral insult. We model the population epidemiology of ME/CFS conversion, the role of brainstem-HPA axis dysregulation, and intervention pathways that might shift the system toward recovery basins.
Research questions
- What combination of pre-existing risk factors most reliably predicts ME/CFS conversion post-infection?
- Can brainstem mechanical load (Chiari, CCI) be modelled as a structural attractor modifier?
- How do social and environmental stressors interact with immune function to shape post-viral trajectory?
- Does a bistable regulatory-capture model (sustained cortical/limbic override of the respiratory pacemaker) account for why the illness state outlasts its trigger?
How AI is used
AI assists in interpreting multi-run simulation outputs, identifying non-linear risk interactions, and connecting simulation findings to published epidemiological literature.