Historically, pathogens and the diseases they cause were viewed largely from a biomedical perspective focused on interactions between pathogens and their human hosts. However, in the last few decades, the importance of studying pathogens from an ecological and evolutionary perspective has gained significant traction. These perspectives inform our understanding of almost all aspects of pathogen-host interactions from transmission dynamics and zoonotic disease spillover to the evolution of virulence and drug resistance. In this seminar, we dissect current and classic literature on the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases. Specifically, we: (i) discuss fundamental concepts in the field; (ii) identify persistent knowledge gaps; and (iii) explore opportunities for linkages between ecological, evolutionary, and biomedical perspectives.