SimpactCyan

SimpactCyan simulates transmission, treatment, and prevention of HIV within dynamic sexual networks for individual-based modeling in HIV epidemiology.

Key Features:

• Individual-based framework: Simulates individuals and their interactions to represent heterogeneous HIV transmission and treatment processes.
• Dynamic sexual networks: Models formation and dissolution of sexual partnerships within a changing network structure.
• Discrete-event simulation: Represents epidemiological events (transmission, treatment, prevention) as discrete events in time.
• Continuous-time engine: Uses an efficient variant of the modified Next Reaction Method to drive continuous-time simulation.
• C++ core algorithm: Implements the simulation engine in C++ to support computational performance.
• R and Python interfaces: Provides programmatic interfaces for model control and data exchange with R and Python environments.
• Generic "intervention" event: Allows model parameters to be modified over time to represent medical and behavioral prevention programs.
• Synthetic data generation: Produces simulated datasets for downstream analyses such as phylodynamic evaluation.

Scientific Applications:

• Treatment policy impact assessment: Estimating the impact of progressive changes in eligibility criteria for HIV treatment on HIV incidence rates.
• Phylodynamic method evaluation: Generating synthetic datasets to assess the performance of phylodynamic inference frameworks.

Methodology:

Continuous-time, discrete-event individual-based simulation driven by an efficient variant of the modified Next Reaction Method; core algorithm implemented in C++; R and Python interfaces; includes a generic "intervention" event to modify model parameters over time.