I will give an overview of techniques based on the theory of mixed Hodge modules, which lead to a number of applications of a rather elementary nature in birational and complex geometry. The key point I will emphasize is the use of vanishing and positivity theorems in the context of filtered D-modules of Hodge theoretic origin.
Links:
[1] http://www.mpim-bonn.mpg.de/taxonomy/term/39
[2] http://www.mpim-bonn.mpg.de/node/3444
[3] http://www.mpim-bonn.mpg.de/node/5285