Marina Zamudio (UCL)

Talk Title: Understanding Virus Evolution and Outbreaks through Phylodynamics: From Theory to Practice

Abstract: The recent increase in viral-driven outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics highlights the necessity to understand virus evolution and disease dynamics within changing ecological contexts. Multidisciplinary research approaches informing phylodynamic and genomic epidemiology have proven essential in unravelling viral evolutionary trajectories and epidemiological dynamics across different scales. This talk aims to share insights from the field and my own research, emphasizing on how exploring convergent evolution can be a valuable tool for tracing common evolutionary pathways in RNA viruses relevant for global health. Additionally, I will showcase the potential applications of these approaches in enhancing targeted virus surveillance programs, using my work in Mexico as an illustrative example.