Introduction
In this series of lectures, I will demonstrate how mathematical modeling tools are used to study the spread of infectious diseases in human populations. I will detail the impact on epidemic dynamics of factors such as the structure of contact networks, immunity, super-spreading events, individual behaviors, and inequalities. I will present the mathematical and statistical approaches used to estimate key transmission parameters from diverse and incomplete data, and to evaluate optimal control strategies. The course will be illustrated with numerous examples drawn from recent and historical epidemics, covering a wide variety of infectious diseases including influenza, dengue, COVID-19, Zika, chikungunya, mpox, HIV, SARS, and others.