It has now become clear to us that the fitting runs currently in progress have (or will soon) reach a conclusion, whereas the new model we're working on won't be ready for fitting for probably a few more weeks, so we won't be making smooth changeover to fitting runs for the new model. There will, therefore, be a pause during which we won't be creating work units on malariacontrol.net, so if you all wouldn't mind supporting other BOINC projects in the meantime but sticking around for when we have the new model ready to use, we'd be grateful!

We'll stop the fitting runs which have reached a conclusion today, leaving the remaining ones which look like they may still produce more optimal parameter sets until, provisionally, a week's time. At this point we expect to cease work unit generation altogether. Our current expected time-frame to have the new model ready to parameterize and ready for action on BOINC is April.

In case any of you are wondering what that new model is, no, it's not our vector transmission model. It actually contains several new components predominantly including a new case management model (how sick people are treated, in hospital or a clinic, etc.), and a model detailing how quickly different drugs kill parasites and how long the drug is effective in humans that have taken it (this model is a big step up on what we had before). Another major difference between this new model (of new and old components) is that it now uses shorter time-steps of one day (opposed to 5 days, which was previously used).