Technological and methodological advances in the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) have led to the rapid accumulation of pathogen genome sequences. Genomic epidemiology uses pathogen whole genome sequences (WGS) to study disease transmission and evolution. Some WGS applications in surveillance programs include tracking circulating and emerging variants, detecting drug resistance, improving contact tracing, mapping transmission, and designing vaccines. COVID-19 has exposed critical gaps in applied research and public health preparedness in combating the pandemic, but it has also exemplified the transformative role of genomic epidemiology. Accessibility to these rich pathogen genomic data allowed academic researchers to test the utility of innovative modelling and analytical tools, including "Phylodynamics" in outbreak response. Phylodynamics is a predictive framework that unifies mathematical epidemiology and statistical phylogenetics, contributing to epidemic responses by capturing transmission dynamics in time and space. In this presentation, Dr. Duvvuri will briefly cover molecular epidemiology and phylogenetics concepts and applications of phylodynamic studies.