Role Title: User Experience Improvement Intern: Enhancing OpenMalaria through AI-assisted modelling
Organisation: The Kids Research Institute Australia
Internship Period: Summer (November - December)
Location: The Kids Research Institute Australia, Nedlands
Our team developed and uses OpenMalaria, an individual-based modelling and simulation software designed to study and predict the transmission dynamics of malaria and the potential impact of various intervention strategies. Link: https://github.com/SwissTPH/openmalaria/wiki
Individual-based models are where individual entities (humans, mosquitoes, and parasites) interact with each other and their environment based on a set of rules. This allows for a more detailed simulation of malaria dynamics compared to traditional compartmental models.
We use OpenMalaria to understand how different interventions, including malaria vaccines, might affect disease spread. It serves as a valuable tool for researchers and public health officials working to control and eventually eliminate malaria.
OpenMalaria uses XML configuration files that can be complex to create and modify. Users often need to consult extensive documentation to set up their experiments correctly. This project aims to use AI tools, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), to make it easier for researchers to work with OpenMalaria's configuration system and codebase.
The Kids Research Institute Australia is based within the Perth Children’s Hospital, and is one of the largest, and most successful medical research institutes in Australia, comprising a dedicated and diverse team of around 1,000 staff, students and honoraries. We've created a bold blueprint that brings together community, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and funders, who share our vision to improve the health and wellbeing of children through excellence in research.