compartmentalmodeller

A compartmentalmodeller is a professional who constructs and analyzes compartmental models—mathematical representations that divide a system into discrete states or compartments and describe flows between them. These models are widely used to study the dynamics of processes where individuals or units transition among states over time, such as the spread of infectious diseases, the distribution of a drug in the body, or ecological population changes.

Most compartmental models use compartments that represent mutually exclusive states (for example, susceptible, infectious, recovered) and differential equations or stochastic rules to govern transitions. Classic examples include the SIR, SIS, and SEIR models, with extensions that incorporate births, deaths, waning immunity, spatial structure, age or risk groups, and metapopulation dynamics.

A compartmental modeller selects model structure, specifies transition rates, and estimates parameters from data using techniques such as likelihood-based inference or Bayesian methods. They may analyze identifiability, conduct sensitivity analysis, and perform uncertainty quantification. Tools frequently used include programming languages and software such as R (deSolve, EpiModel), Python (SciPy, PyMC), MATLAB, Stan, COPASI, and specialized simulators.

Applications span epidemiology (outbreak forecasting, vaccination strategies), pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (drug absorption, distribution, and elimination), veterinary science, and ecology. Limitations include assumptions of homogeneous mixing within compartments and challenges in capturing spatial, social, or behavioral heterogeneity; models are simplifications subject to data quality and structural choices.

A compartmental modeller may work in academia, public health agencies, biotechnology companies, or consultancy. The term emphasizes a focus on the compartmental modeling paradigm rather than agent-based or continuous-time frameworks.

See also: compartmental model, SIR model, SEIR model, mathematical modeling.