Description:

The transmission dynamics of infectious diseases represent a complex dynamical system shaped by intricate host-pathogen interactions, feedback loops, and adaptive evolution across molecular, individual, and population scales. Complex systems thinking and mathematical modeling have emerged as powerful tools to unravel these dynamics and
inform effective control strategies.

In the first part of this talk, I will present data-driven approaches to modeling the spread of the Zika virus epidemic in the Americas. This segment explores how complex human mobility networks, the dynamical landscape of ecological suitability, and heterogeneous
exposure risks due to socioeconomic disparities synergistically shape epidemic patterns.

In the second part, I will focus on characterizing the kinetics and transmission heterogeneity of SARS-CoV-2, driven by contact patterns, behavioral risk factors, viral shedding dynamics, viral evolution, and host immunity. I will discuss how these factors interact and their broader
implications for SARS-CoV-2 transmission and control at the population scale.

Kaiyuan Sun, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health

Host; Istvan Kovacs