Reaction-diffusion processes and epidemic metapopulation models in complex networks

The correct description of reaction-diffusion phenomena requires a detailed knowledge of the contact networks defining the interactions between individuals and groups of individuals. For this reason, the study of reaction-diffusion processes has been recently widened with opportune models and methods dealing with the heterogeneity and large scale fluctuations observed in many real world networks. Here we present a brief overview of some recent results on reaction-diffusion processes in complex networks which provide useful insights into the dynamic behavior of epidemic metapopulation models.