A complex maths algorithm is helping keep childhood vaccinations in the United States up-to-date.

Dr Faramroze Engineer developed the tool with colleagues, including those from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US. Now a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Newcastle, Dr Engineer said the support tool helped vaccination providers to create 'catch-up' schedules for childhood immunisation.

"These schedules ensure that a child continues to receive timely coverage against vaccine preventable diseases, such as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, meningococcal and tuberculosis, in case a dose is missed," Dr Engineer said.

"The tool is being advocated by both the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics as a way for parents and health providers to take a more proactive role in ensuring timely vaccinations for children."

The work recently received international recognition from the worldwide Institute for Operations Research and the Management Science (INFORMS) with an honourable mention as a finalist for the 2009 'Doing Good with Good OR' award.

Dr Engineer arrived in Australia in July 2009 to join the University of Newcastle's newly launched Priority Research Centre for Computer Assisted Research Mathematics and its Applications. The Centre is using advanced mathematical computation to solve real-world problems.