Robbins Basic Pathology and Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease are the primary pathology textbooks used in American and international undergraduate medical education. Central to teaching pathophysiology is education regarding risk factors associated with disease. Historically, race has been considered a valid data point in discussions regarding disease incidence and outcomes; however, with greater understanding of the role of socioeconomic and environmental factors in disease as well as the imp

Racial and ethnic health disparities are multifactorial and complex, including contributions from socioeconomic factors, environmental exposures, diet, lifestyle, and genetics. However, race and ethnicity are socially constructed and therefore imprecise proxies for genetic diversity. Genetic ancestry (GA) better captures genetic variation among human population groups with distinct biogeographic origins. GA analysis of biobank data – collections of biological material with deep phenotypic, ex

Widespread epidemics and pandemics like COVID-19 are never singular phenomena, and recent studies have helped to explain the multitude of forces that underlie what has been all-too-often characterized as a single pandemic. But whether talking about the specific nature of waterborne diseases like cholera in South America, granular views of the HIV pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, or about infection patterns in COVID-19, the defining modulator of disease is the role of context. And by context, we a

The deletion of the third exon of the growth hormone receptor (GHRd3) has been linked to response to growth hormone, placenta size, birth weight, growth after birth, time of puberty, adult height, and longevity. However, its evolutionary history and the molecular mechanisms through which it affects phenotypes remain unresolved. Here, we provide evidence that this deletion was nearly fixed in the ancestral population of anatomically modern humans and Neanderthals. However, it underwent a paradoxi

Neural crest genes control the migration of key cells to multiple parts of developing embryos. A recent hypothesis posits that the “domestication syndrome” characteristic of domesticated animals (including humans, which are self-domesticated) is driven by selection for tameness (reduced reactive aggression) acting on neural crest genes affecting cell migration. This could explain how the many, apparently disparate, phenotypic aspects of this syndrome are all connected. This hypothesis predicts h

Individuals differ in their sensitivity to glucocorticoids (GCs). One factor influencing a person’s GC sensitivity is the harshness of their early-life environments, with those who grew up in stressful (vs. benign) early-life environments experiencing increased GC insensitivity; however, existing work has primarily relied upon in vitro tests of these relationships. Building upon insights from life history theory (LHT), we provide experimental evidence that early-life stress leads to GC insensiti

Contemporary human wisdom teeth (M3s) often fail to erupt into functional occlusion (impaction). Recent evidence indicates that late initiating molars are more likely to become impacted. Vitamin D deficiency and impacted M3s commonly co-present in Industrialized societies, though a link between the two has not been established. We tested vitamin D as a mechanism behind molar developmental timing using a mouse model. We hypothesize that molar initiation will be delayed in offspring from vitamin D

Aversion towards bitter tastes evolved across vertebrate species to enable the recognition of harmful plant toxins. Genetic background, mode of subsistence, and dietary factors may explain variation in bitter taste sensitivity between human ecologies. We are the first to examine bitter taste perception within a population at different levels of market-integration, conducting an experiment using phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and thiourea (Th10) infused paper strips amongst the Mbendjele-BaYaka hunter

One of the core principles of evolutionary medicine is natural selection and its emphasis on prioritizing traits that will enhance reproductive success; thereby, the reproductive system has become sensitive to varying environmental, sociocultural, and individual conditions. Reproductive health mobile applications and devices aim to predict fertility or pregnancy trajectory based on what is considered “normal” in the given population. In contrast with evolutionary medicine, which recognizes the

Previous research has shown that energy investment in reproduction is traded-off against other fitness functions, such as immunity, but such knowledge is mostly derived from males’ studies. Yet, among females of long-lived species, extended energy investment in gestation and lactation is expected to reduce investment in immunity and accelerate aging. To test this hypothesis, we analysed long-term data from a wild population of free-ranging mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). Using longitudinal growth

Between days 14-28 of a woman’s reproductive cycle, if embryonic implantation has not occurred, superficial endometrial tissue thickens and sheds as menstrual. Atypical, retrograde menstruation has been implicated in endometriosis, a disorder characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue. We developed a phylogeny of menstruation as a tool for evaluating the validity of the retrograde menstruation theory. Because neither menstruation nor endometriosis are uniquely human, we hypothesized that if r

Premenstrual changes in mood are often reduced to and dismissed as women’s ‘raging hormones. However, why some women experience more negative premenstrual symptoms (i.e. premenstrual syndrome or PMS) than others remain elusive. Evolutionary approaches view PMS as a by-product of a shifting resource allocation trade-off between immunity and reproduction during the menstrual cycle. In non-conceptive cycles, a steep drop in the pregnancy hormone progesterone leads to a massive inflammatory reaction

The acquisition of resistance by tumors to targeted molecular therapies remains one of the greatest challenges in precision medicine approaches to cancer treatment. Evolutionary techniques leveraging modern sequencing technologies, such as phylogenetic analysis and the thoughtful calculation of selection intensities, are well suited to offer guiding insights in describing and, ultimately, overcoming therapeutic resistance. Here, we quantify the relative importance of mutations occurring during

When it comes to understanding the exact mechanisms behind virus-induced cancers, we have often turned to molecular biology. It would be fair to argue that our understanding of cancers caused by viruses has significantly improved since the isolation of the Epstein-Barr virus from Burkitt's lymphoma. However, they are some important questions that remain unexplored like what advantage do viruses derive by inducing carcinogenesis? Why do viruses code for the so-called oncogenes? Why DNA viruses ar

Science is not bound by countries neither should it be restricted by disciplinary borders. The current pandemic has shown that comprehension of complex global biological phenomena is hindered by reductionism. Cancer is another example of a complex biological process that should incorporate a multifaceted approach. Model systems to study this complex phenomenon have mostly been limited to animal laboratory models and in vitro experiments; however, studying free-ranging wildlife can help widen und

Recent studies have shown that a strategy aiming for containment, not elimination, can control tumour burden more effectively in vitro, in mouse models and in the clinic. These outcomes are consistent with the hypothesis that emergence of resistance to cancer therapy may be prevented or delayed by exploiting competitive ecological interactions between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tumour cell subpopulations. However, although various mathematical and computational models have been proposed t

Cancer rates vary significantly across tissue type and location in humans, driven by clinically relevant distinctions in the risk factors that underlie different cancer types. Despite the importance of cancer location in human health, little is known about tissue-specific cancers in non-human animals. A comparison of cancer prevalence across the tree of life can give insight into how evolutionary history has stratified cancer risk in accordance with life history strategies. Here, we explore whet

Native American genetic ancestry has been implicated with increased risk of diverse health issues in Mexican populations, especially in view of the recent environmental, dietary, and cultural changes they experienced. To date, effects of these transitions and Westernization of lifestyles have been investigated predominantly in Mestizo individuals. Nevertheless, indigenous groups are those who have probably retained the highest proportions of genetic components shaped by natural selection in resp

Bacteria are constantly interacting with their surroundings and are regularly exposed to stressful environmental conditions. Therefore, bacteria have evolved two component response systems to help regulate cellular homeostasis, allow them to survive under stressful environmental conditions. TCRS are among the best studied genetic elements for environmental acclimation in bacteria but very little is known about their role in adaptations. We aim to understand the role TCRS play in environmental ad

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroid hormones that mediate the demands of energetic challenges. Despite this adaptive function, most GC-related research reports that elevated GCs accompany negative health/fitness outcomes. Yet, these studies compare groups that have endured very different challenges, and so the fitness outcomes reflect the challenges themselves (not the GC secretion). To understand the adaptive nature of the stress response, we use the 2014-2016 El Niño event as a natural experimen

Takotsubo syndrome is an acute cardiac disorder characterized by transient and ischemic left ventricular apical hypokinesis, often in the setting of emotional distress. Ischemia (oxygen supply/ demand mismatch) can alter myocardial characteristics leading to arrhythmia and sudden death. Therefore, adaptations to counter myocardial ischemia exist in vertebrate animals. We propose that a broadly comparative and phylogenetically informed survey of species with varying life history characteristics c

Increased Female Vulnerability to Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Macroevolutionary Approach Links Pregnancy Related Adaptations, Daphnee Piou, Harvard College Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute cardiovascular disorder characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction, often following acute emotional distress. TTS disproportionally affects female patients as nearly 90% of cases occur in women. In this way, the sex-specific skew of TTS directs focus towards female-specific characteristics th

Osteoporosis, a condition characterized by a loss of bone mass due to imbalance bone remodeling, affects 30% of women in the United States and Europe, with further increased vulnerability in post-reproductive women. The disease is also prevalent in reproductive aged women with periods of suppressed ovulation. Vulnerability to osteoporosis in both age groups appears to be associated with a loss of estrogen, which plays a critical role in regulating bone resorption and preserving bone integrity. I

Bacteria are constantly experiencing rapid changes in their environments, as a result, this requires either a quick physical acclimation response or adaptation to ensure survival. Two-component response systems (TCRS) are the main mechanism by which bacteria acclimate to their environment. The response requires two proteins, a histidine kinase (HK) and a response regulator (RR). The EnvZ/OmpR TCRS is a TCRS that responds to changes in environmental osmolarity by regulating the expression of ou

Intro: This talk will report findings of a study investigating whether women’s physiological condition can predict discontinuation due to side-effects of the injectable contraceptive in Ethiopia. It uses principles of reproductive ecology to indirectly test the hypothesis that women with lower absolute levels of reproductive hormones may experience a greater burden of side-effects from hormonal contraception. Methods: Contraceptive calendar data from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Su

Endometriosis and PCOS are common female reproductive disorders that can substantially reduce fertility and fecundity. Their relationship to one another, and their evolutionary bases, have been enigmatic. We describe evidence from genetics, development, endocrinology, morphology, behavior and life history that: (1) endometriosis and PCOS are diametric (opposite) disorders; (2) they represent maladaptive extremes of developmental-reproductive adaptations and tradeoffs; (3) endometriosis risk is

Endometriosis is a debilitating and fertility-impairing disorder affecting approximately 70 million women worldwide. Though advancing, the current understanding of endometriosis pathophysiology is incomplete; the causal mechanism behind the disorder remains unclear. Recent studies point to immune-mediated and metaplastic mechanisms as contributing factors. The role of retrograde menstruation-- once widely regarded as the singular cause of the disorder-- is no longer clear. To gain greater clarit

Investigation of the potential association between maternal age (all reproductive ages 13 to 42+ years) and birthing needing active medical intervention in primiparas in Reunion island (Indian ocean) where teenage pregnancies have a high prevalence . Of the 21,235 singleton primiparous births, there were 5 significant linear associations (χ² for linear trend, p < 0.0001) between maternal age and, a) vaginal deliveries without any medical intervention, b) in mirror, rate of cesarean sections,

Caesarean section (CS) is a surgical operation with potential side-effects for both mother and baby, which is why every effort should be made to perform it only and exclusively when necessary. In Poland, the rate of CS has risen rapidly in the last decade, from below 20% in 2007 to 39.3% in 2017. Factors determining this high rate of CS should be widely identified and then implemented in perinatal care. Thus, our aim, was to examine the determinants of having a CS among women with low-risk pregn

The skin is important for both protecting the body and perceiving external stimuli from the environment. The intricate functioning of its thickness, oiliness, hairiness, innervation, and microbiome composition, in addition to its immune function, suggests an evolved balance between the skin and environment. We argue that human modification of our environments disrupts this balance and causes the accumulation of susceptibility factors for autoimmune disorders like psoriasis. We hypothesize that h

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema/Oedema (HAPE) is a potentially fatal disease of altitude, in which the lungs can become filled with fluid. This can be viewed as a condition of a mismatch between current environment and evolutionary experience. This is a situation where an elegant physiological mechanism that increases survival in cases of infection, trauma and thrombus at sea level is maladaptive at the relative hypoxia of altitude. However, some populations have adaptations that blunt this respon

Disgust is hypothesized to have evolved to promote avoidance of pathogens, though no studies have tested whether individuals with higher pathogen disgust sensitivity (PDS) are in fact exposed to fewer pathogens. Further, PDS is hypothesized to be calibrated to local environments in response to the fitness-related costs and benefits of exposure or avoidance. Here, we test whether PDS facilitates disease avoidance and examine its socio-ecological variation at the individual, household, and communi

The global use of psychopharmaceuticals such as antidepressants has been steadily increasing. Worldwide monitoring efforts have shown that pharmaceuticals are amongst the multitude of anthropogenic pollutants found in our waterways. While the effects of unintentional human exposure to these chemicals are unclear, the US Environmental Protection Agency does not currently regulate any psychopharmaceuticals in drinking water. In light of the increased incidence of mental illness in children and ado

Hypertension during pregnancy is one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal morbidity worldwide. Approximately 10% of pregnancies are complicated by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy like gestational hypertension, which is thought to be due to poor placental perfusion secondary to abnormal vasculature. Over the past 50 years, there has been a large improvement in the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy in terms of blood pressure control, however there is still no definitive solutio

The sweetness of common sugars draw animals (including humans) to eat plant tissue where they can be found such as fruits. However, the concentration of plant tissue (e.g. sugar cane) into raw sugar beginning in the 17th century created a novel element of the environment beginning a significant episode of evolutionary mismatch that has impacted the Western world for centuries. The role of excess sugar diets associated with diseases such as diabetes and other metabolic disorders has been well-stu

Science is not bound by countries neither should it be restricted by disciplinary borders. The current pandemic has shown that comprehension of complex global biological phenomena is hindered by reductionism. Cancer is another example of a complex biological process that should incorporate a multifaceted approach. Model systems to study this complex phenomenon have mostly been limited to animal laboratory models and in vitro experiments; however, studying free-ranging wildlife can help widen und

Research in evolutionary medicine spans human and non-human issues that are global in scope. But, do examples used in courses in evolutionary medicine highlight the international nature of this work? The lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion of people regardless of gender, ethnicity, geography, and physical abilities are increasingly important issues facing the scientific community, including evolutionary medicine. By expanding examples in evolutionary medicine courses about how scientists fr

Germ cell development in mammals has many unique or unusual features. Notably, germ cells are isolated by and completely reliant upon “nurse cells” (granulosa cells in females; Sertoli cells in males). Additionally, germ cell development is remarkably prolonged. In females it is associated with the oocytes being arrested in prophase of meiosis I, with meiosis not being completed until after ovulation. In males it takes 2-4 weeks for a round spermatid to become an elongated spermatozoan (21 days

The “Obstetrical Dilemma” (OD), with human childbirth viewed as a trade-off between a narrow, bipedal pelvis and a large infant skull, was described as a legacy of evolution by Nesse and Williams. Since then, several scholars have produced competing paradigms suggesting a narrow pelvis is required to support heavy pelvic organs, or that thermodynamic requirements influence trunk shape, or that metabolic constraints determine gestation length. Others have postulated childbirth became more diffi

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disruptive disorder in females characterized by polycystic ovaries, anovulation, and hyperandrogenism. The high heritability of genes associated with PCOS and the worldwide occurrence in approximately 6% of females suggests a genetic origin prior to early human migrations out of Africa. It has previously been argued that PCOS is an evolutionary mismatch disease, where a trait evolving in one environment becomes maladaptive in anothe

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (3-4 cycles) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) is a standard approach in advanced-stage ovarian cancer, having a higher R0 rate and less morbidity with similar outcomes compared to primary debulking. Currently there is limited data regarding outcomes for longer (>4 cycles) neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by delayed interval debulking surgery (DIDS). Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with advanced stage high grade serous ova

Derived from mostly fetal tissue, the placenta is a shared organ between two genetically distinct individuals. Due to an intense evolutionary arms race during pregnancy, placental phenotypes vary greatly across mammals. Selective pressures driving placental diversity are not well understood. Previous work focuses on the relationship between placental invasiveness--defined by the number of tissue layers separating gestator and fetal circulation--and life history. Few consider the variation in pla

Introduction: Psychosocial stress can alter intrauterine development in many ways. The impact on the developing immune system is especially important due to the associated morbidity and mortality. Different studies sustain this hypothesis, but little attention was given to the role of intimate partner violence (a worldwide-present stressor) during pregnancy, especially its role on infant morbidity. Methods: We analyzed data from two Brazilian birth cohorts (2847 subjects). Association between in

In addition to infecting hosts, facultative pathogens can grow independent of hosts in environmental reservoirs. These diverse ecological settings can result in novel life-history trait correlations. The consequence of such trait correlations on virulence evolution is largely understudied, both theoretically and empirically. In this study, we used the adaptive dynamics framework to explore the consequence of several potential trait correlations on virulence evolution. Results suggest that divers

Science is not bound by countries neither should it be restricted by disciplinary borders. The current pandemic has shown that comprehension of complex global biological phenomena is hindered by reductionism. Cancer is another example of a complex biological process that should incorporate a multifaceted approach. Model systems to study this complex phenomenon have mostly been limited to animal laboratory models and in vitro experiments; however, studying free-ranging wildlife can help widen und

Two-component response systems (TCRS) are among the best studied systems for environmental acclimation in bacteria, although little is known about their role in adaptation. Here we will show that evolutionary adaptation commonly occurs through the acquisition of mutations in TCRS after prolonged acclimation. We hypothesize that this adaptation will have biological consequences on fitness and function, which is why, they are likely not maintained for long in nature. We previously showed that in s

Causal genetic variants for inflammatory diseases are thought to evolve under pathogen-driven natural selection. If we can pinpoint adaptive mutations among candidates for causal variants, we can prioritize promising variants for downstream experiments to understand their function in pathogenesis. While this hypothesis has potential for the field of biomedicine, its application in practice has been hindered by challenges with pinpointing the adaptive mutations. In this study, we address the chal

The recent boon in microbiome research shows that the vast community of microbes that take residence can influence a host’s physiology and fitness. However, it is still unclear how host genotype shapes the microbiota and how the microbiota affect host physiology in a genotype-specific manner. We harness the power of the evolve and resequence approach to study the effects of host evolution for longevity differentiation on associated microbiota. Long lived populations have lower abundances of both

By changing their contact rates or proximity patterns, social animals can favour information flow or decrease pathogen transmission. Such individual behavioural changes directly affect their own social relationships but also indirectly influence the whole social network. Importantly, some network properties can facilitate or restrict information and disease transmisson, such as network modularity. However, the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of individual relationships unde

Animal and human social networks are shaped by multiple selection pressures, including the need to ensure efficient group functioning and communication while simultaneously limiting the spread of infectious diseases. It has been hypothesised that social animals could reduce epidemic risk in the presence of pathogens by altering the transmission properties of their social networks, yet there is little evidence for such pathogen-triggered network changes. We tested this hypothesis experimentally i

Pathogens can trigger diverse changes in host social behaviors. Sickness behaviors often include lethargy and passive self-isolation (reduced contact between healthy and infected conspecifics). Here, we summarize our work on passive self-isolation in immune-challenged vampire bats, measured on multiple levels from individuals to networks. On an individual level, immune-challenged vampire bats reduce their grooming and social vocalizations towards conspecifics, but the magnitude of this effect de

Social animals display a wide range of behavioural defences against infectious diseases, some of which inherently increase social contacts with infectious individuals (e.g., mutual grooming), while others decrease them (e.g., social exclusion, quarantines). Many of these defences rely on the detection of infectious individuals, but this can be achieved in several ways that are not easy to discriminate. Here, we use non-pathogenic immune-challenges to ask whether ants can directly detect the immu

People possess psychological processes that help them avoid pathogens, which is particularly important when novel infectious diseases (e.g., COVID-19) spread through the population. Across two studies we examined whether trait pathogen avoidance (operationalized as perceived vulnerability to disease; PVD) was linked with responses to COVID-19 and preventative behaviors. In Study 1, PVD was positively associated with stronger reactions to the threat of COVID-19, including increased anxiety, perce

Insular populations have traditionally drawn a lot of attention from epidemiologists as they provide important insights regarding transmission of infectious diseases. There are numerous historical instances where isolated populations showed high morbidity once a new virus entered the population. Building upon that and recent findings that the activation of the behavioral immune system (BIS) depends both upon one’s vulnerability and environmental context, we postulated that, during the COVID-19 p

Unrealistic optimism describes the tendency for people to falsely believe that their personal outcomes will be more favorable than others in the same risk category. With health, it is often those at the highest risk for a given problem who are most unrealistic about their likelihood of experiencing it. Research in the evolutionary sciences suggests that selection could favor overconfidence if its benefits, such as increased resilience, outweigh its costs. However, just because unrealistic optimi

Life on Earth has evolved under predictable 24-hour variations in solar light and darkness due to the axial rotation of our planet. Since the advent of electricity, artificial sources of light are almost always superimposed upon natural photic exposure patterns, providing constant access to qualitatively different light. This has enabled industrialized societies to operate at all hours of the day and night; however, the accompanying increased need for shiftwork is not without consequence. As lig

Throughout evolution and history, humans have progressively isolated themselves from natural cycles through built environments that isolate them from the external environment. Key to this isolation is our ability to manipulate artificial light and extend our activity into the nighttime. Recent studies from our laboratory suggest that moonlight not only had a similar effect on activity in ancestral times but also that the phases of the moon continue to shape our daily sleep in highly urbanized co

In modern societies, human rest-activity rhythms result from interactions between external social (e.g., work hours) and internal biological time. A mismatch between the two has been suggested to induce ‘social jetlag’ (SJL) and ‘social sleep restriction’ (SSR), that is, shifts in sleep timing and sleep duration between work- and free days. Moreover, SJL and SSR have repeatedly been associated with negative health consequences. Here, we investigated the effects of the first COVID-19 lockdown on

Pain is motivating: a need state not a sensation. It is inferred in animals, including humans, by consistent behaviors: immediate active or passive defense; subsequent protection of wounds and suppression of competing responses or energy conservation, vigilance to threat, and in the long term, learned avoidance of associated cues. In mammals, facial and bodily expression of pain is evident, modulated by social context. Beyond promoting survival, functions of these various behaviors are little d

Infection results in several outward signs in humans due, in part, to subsequent inflammatory responses. These signs include changes in skin color, breathing, gait, and sickness behavior (i.e., changes in mood and behavior). A potential adaptive function of these signs is to signal distress and elicit care from close others. We focus here on the role of sickness behavior in communicating health status and the role of cultural norms in shaping such communication between men and women. Previous an

How do people express their malaise when sick? Factors involved in ill-health communication remain poorly known. In this study, we tested how men and women expressed their sickness in presence of female caregivers using a model of experimental sickness. We filmed twenty-two participants after having received an injection of bacterial endotoxin, which triggers fever and sickness symptoms (e.g. headache, nausea, fatigue) for a few hours, and after received an injection of placebo. Communicative be

To optimise defence against infection, behaviours appear to have evolved to improve immunity. One set of behaviours are reactive, and part of the sickness response. To proactively avoid contagion, organisms must however also be sensitive to sickness in others. The present talk presents evidence on such detection taking place in humans, and what perceptible signs may indicate presence of an inflammatory response. We inject healthy individuals with varying doses of a bacterial endotoxin, causing a

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed that most common traits have complex genetic architectures. Genome-wide scans of selection (GWSS) have characterized the imprint of diverse evolutionary processes across the human genome. However, we lack an understanding of how evolutionary forces have shaped the variants associated with different traits. The evolutionary history of genomic regions is inseparable from the ways in which these regions contribute to the function or dysfunction o

Since 2005, genome-wide association (GWA) datasets have been largely biased toward sampling European ancestry individuals, and recent studies have shown that GWA results estimated from European ancestry individuals apply heterogeneously in non-European ancestry individuals. Here, we argue that enrichment analyses which aggregate SNP-level association statistics at multiple genomic scales—to genes and pathways—have been overlooked and can generate biologically interpretable hypotheses regarding

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by the obligate human pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), and remains among the leading causes of mortality from infectious disease. Africa harbors much of the global TB burden, with South Africa at the epicenter (>500/100,000 incidence and 80-90% of adults are infected). MTB is hypothesized to have coevolved with African human populations, however, no endemic Southern African MTB strain has been identified. Rather, two distinct MTB lineages (originating in

Most traits of interest are highly heritable and genetically complex, meaning that much of the variation they exhibit arises from differences at numerous loci in the genome. Complex traits and their evolution have been studied for more than a century, but only in the last decade have genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in humans begun to reveal the genetic basis of their heritable variation. In past work, we introduced a quantitative, generative model describing how basic population genetics

Homer Smith’s (1954) influential theory of kidney evolution transformed 20th century nephrology. As an anthropogenic (“human-origins”) narrative, it continues to play an important heuristic role in clinical investigations of renal disease in evolutionary medicine. A new inter-disciplinary retrodictive analytical matrix of 7 categories of narrative elements tested by 9 paradigmatic tools is introduced to assess the updated theory. Heretofore poorly integrated data sets incorporated here include

Tensegrity facilitates the direct translation of mechanical stimuli into genetic and biochemical responses (mechanotransduction), which enables cells to adapt to their physical environment. Changes in force transmission between the extracellular matrix, the cytoskeleton and the nucleus affect mechanotransduction and impacts the pathogenesis of many diseases. These diseases range from cancer to deafness and include: pulmonary fibrosis, cardiovascular diseases, muscular dystrophies and liver disea

The evidence is clear that active learning increases academic achievement for all undergraduates, and especially for students from populations historically underrepresented in science. However, many faculty continue to employ pedagogies where student learning is largely passive. Because it is inherently interdisciplinary and problem-based, evolutionary medicine presents multiple opportunities to employ active teaching and learning strategies. However, many faculty do not know how to implement

The evidence is clear that active learning increases academic achievement for all undergraduates, and especially for students from populations historically underrepresented in science. However, many faculty continue to employ pedagogies where student learning is largely passive. Because it is inherently interdisciplinary and problem-based, evolutionary medicine presents multiple opportunities to employ active teaching and learning strategies. However, many faculty do not know how to implement su

For the past 30+ years, an extensive and still-growing body of research has elucidated principles of human learning that can be used to enhance teaching pedagogies at all levels of education. This presentation will discuss principles that have emerged about 1) helping students in science courses understand the relevance of what they are being asked to learn through the development of conceptual frameworks, 2) recognizing and helping students address pre- and misconceptions, and the benefits for

Pedagogical training has been historically absent from graduate training, leaving most undergraduate instructors on their own to figure out the best way to teach their undergraduates. Over the past several decades, a growing body of research has identified strategies and practices that improve student learning, create more inclusive classrooms, and can help educate a future generation better prepared to tackle the growing number of complex and global issues they will be tasked with handling. Thi

Instruction in evolutionary medicine can enhance the educational experiences of both undergraduate and medical students. While the level of specificity and scientific depth necessarily differs between the two groups, a core framework can be applied to pre-existing curricular content at both levels. The strategic application of this framework offers students an expanded perspective which can help them make connections between fundamental biological principles and the origins of health and disease

I will discuss putting together my first class in Evolutionary Medicine (EM) at University College London that was designed to be a broad overview of the field. Due to the breadth of EM, rather than attempt mastery of too many topics, I adopted the strategy of inviting in experts (both medical doctors and biologists/anthropologists) whom I then "interviewed" about their specific fields using (mostly) pre-prepared questions. Students were encouraged to ask questions and were active during the i

Physical breastfeeding problems can lead women to terminate breastfeeding earlier than planned. Breastfeeding problems have been attributed to the cultural and individual “inexperience” of breastfeeding. Yet, cross-cultural evidence suggests breastfeeding problems still occur in contexts where breastfeeding is common and public. As humans evolved to raise children cooperatively, what matters for breastfeeding continuation may be the availability of social support during the postnatal period. Her

Menopause, as the permanent cessation of menstruation in human females, is a ubiquitous experience of the female ageing process. Both spatial and temporal variations in age at menopause has been documented in different populations but little interrogation has been given to age at menopause in the UK population. Interactions between socioeconomic status and age at menopause have been previously identified, but there are no overarching hypotheses into why this relationship exists. Drawing on the

Background: Women who breastfeed may experience long-term benefits for their health in addition to the more widely-appreciated effects on breastfed children. Here, we assess how women’s breastfeeding history relates to post-menopausal cognitive performance. Due to diminished breastfeeding in the post-industrial era compared, it is important to understand the lifespan implications of breastfeeding for surmising maternal phenotypes in our species’ collective past. Methods: A cohort of Southern Ca

13.2% of women will experience postpartum depression. Despite advances in characterizing underlying mechanisms, several fundamental questions remain unanswered including the role of environmental, nutritional, interpersonal, and other factors in the onset of the disorder. Limiting awareness of phenomenologically similar disorders in other mammalian mothers has limited the efficacy of broadly comparative approaches to this disorder. A phylogenetic overview of this disorder might expose mechanis

Dengue is an arboviral disease caused by dengue virus (DENV) that affects tropical and subtropical regions, with over 40% of the world’s population at risk, and 25,000 deaths/year worldwide. The virus is transmitted through the bite of infected female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Following World War II, international travel, shipping practices, urban expansion, and rising global temperatures have increased the range and incidence of the virus. DENV faces selection pressures in

Human-wildlife interfaces are hotspots for (anthropo)zoonotic and emerging infectious disease, but network-based approaches to model disease transmission remain largely unimplemented in these contexts. For 10 groups of wild nonhuman primates (Macaca spp.) representing three species living in (peri)urban environments, we implemented epidemiological Susceptible Infected Recovered models to track pathogen transmission through human(-primate)-contact networks and primate-primate social grooming netw

Host social networks influence the ecology of gut bacteria, shaping the microbiome composition of both humans and other animals. How gut commensals evolve and adapt when hosts live in social or asocial environments is less known. Using a mouse gut colonization model, we investigated how the pattern of genetic evolution of Escherichia coli (E. coli) is influenced by their host social context. We found extremely high transmission rates of E. coli among mice housed together (social regime). As pred

The principle of adaptation by natural selection applies to the microbial populations in our gut microbiomes. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) drastically changes the intestinal environment, and previous studies have shown that microbial adaptation to the inflamed intestine could cause changes in microbial metabolism. We performed a four-month evolution experiment with Escherichia coli in a gnotobiotic mouse model of IBD to investigate the adaptation of the gut microbiome to chronic inflammation

Whole genome sequencing has vastly improved our understanding of how parasites adapt to novel environments, hosts, and drugs. For the eukaryotic malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, most studies infer past selection events from single-timepoint data. The parasite’s short generation time, however, also enables direct tracking of evolution via longitudinal sampling. Here, we analyze 202 P. falciparum parasite genomes sampled in French Guiana over a 17-year period of intensive public health inte

Genes that happen to express advantageous effects early in life, when selection is at or near full strength, produce the vigor and peak functionality typical of youth, and some of these genes (I think most) also contribute to aging (aka senescence) by producing downstream, detrimental pleiotropic effects. Thus, in general, young organisms have the dual advantage of being comprised of adaptions that have been continually augmented and fine-tuned by strong selection, and they are free of age-relat

According to the evolutionary theory of aging, the forces of natural selection start to decline after the first age of reproduction, and continue to steadily decline until the last age of reproduction, where these forces stabilize at zero or become weaker than random genetic drift. Past studies have used Drosophila melanogaster populations to show that gradually postponing the first age of reproduction, postpones the age at which the forces of natural selection begin to drop, and results in dela

“Chimera” is a monster that causes havoc in the mythological world. Cancers are diseases that cause havoc in the real world. Is chimerism linked with cancer? Fisher et al. in 2020 found that foreign cells associate more often on land than water. We hypothesise that obligately multicellular chimeras with cells that are related but not identical to the rest: 1) may be more common in terrestrial than aquatic taxa; and 2) may outgrow other cells and move around or beyond the body like cancers or tra

Phenotypic plasticity, or changes in the expression of host traits over time, can help organisms cope with changing environments. However, when a phenotype must respond to multiple environmental factors simultaneously, ecological disturbances might limit plastic responses. One trait that offers the opportunity to test this idea is the gut microbiota, which contributes to phenotypic plasticity and is sensitive to a variety of environmental changes. We examined whether a common microbiota disturba

Studies in WEIRD societies claim that adolescents experience a phase shift in sleep representing a “biological/natural” circadian cycle where teenagers sleep later at night and wake up later next morning. We reexamined the hypothesis that this phase shift is associated with sexual maturation among 145 teenagers (aged 11-16, x̄=13.7, SD ± 1.21) from: 1) Maya agriculturalists, 2) Totonac agriculturalists, and 3) urbanites in Mexico City. From February-November, 2019, we collected 1405 sleep observ

An important feature of humans is regular undertaking of sustained aerobic activities, including long-distance running and walking. In contrast, none of the great apes has been observed to run for more than approximately 100m at a time. Accordingly, humans exhibit a series of physiological and anatomical adaptations for long-distance locomotion and increased activity, including adaptations that allow greater air intake. To test the hypothesis of adaptive ventilatory changes in humans, we provide

Iron plays a critical role in the interactions between microbes and their hosts. In the mammalian gut, iron availability is under tight regulation. However, antibiotic treatment and inflammation are known to perturb iron availability in the gut, leading to fluctuations that can alter host-microbe interactions. How these changes influence iron regulation in bacteria still remains an intriguing question. Here, we show that IscR, a major regulator of iron homeostasis of Escherichia coli, is under f

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a cardiac condition that disproportionately affects post-reproductive females. Interindividual vulnerability to the condition in this demographic remains poorly understood. Chronic stress and autonomic tone have been linked to TTS vulnerability in humans and can provide a rich source of insights and potentially clinically predictive information. Nonuniform methodologies and inconsistent findings in the peer-reviewed, human-focused literature limit progress in this dom

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease worldwide. It disproportionately affects post-menopausal females; approximately 40% of women in the United States experience an osteoporosis-induced fracture during their lifetimes. Bisphosphonates remain the predominant treatment for post-menopausal osteoporosis. Nonetheless, growing concerns over complications have revitalized a search for alternative treatments. The physiology of other species adapted to living in conditions that increas

Military personnel in industrialized societies often develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during combat. It is unclear whether combat-related PTSD is a universal evolutionary response to danger or a culture-specific syndrome of industrialized societies. We interviewed 218 Turkana pastoralist warriors in Kenya, who engage in lethal cattle raids, about their combat experiences and PTSD symptoms. Turkana in our sample had a high prevalence of PTSD symptoms, but Turkana with high symptom sev

In the United States, Black adults experience disproportionately high incidence of and mortality from several gastrointestinal cancers. This may be associated with evolutionary mismatches related to gut microbiome diversity, immune system development, nutritional status, chronic psychosocial stress, and environmental exposures. While some research has examined rates of gastrointestinal cancers in Black adults, few studies have explored relevant environmental/lifestyle factors and associated gast

Evolution is the unifying theme of the life sciences, and yet students are often introduced to the many sub-disciplines of biology in isolation of one another. For the past decade, our team has been engaged in the EvoEd project (evo-ed.org), an initiative aimed at developing interactive cases that aim to help students think about biological principles from integrative perspectives. Many undergraduate students are interested in health professions, and the field of evolutionary medicine provides a

How and why medicine evolved ? The treatment of illness, present in all societies, is an ancient practice within the human lineage. Further, all medical systems, including those described historically from several millennia, are using a mix of drugs and magic. However, while drugs are initially mainly derived from plants, whose secondary compounds can have therapeutic effects, the ‘magic’ part, called placebo effect in biomedicine, corresponds to health effects resulting from positive social in

Early women’s marriage is associated with adverse outcomes for mothers and their offspring, yet remains common in many populations and is often favoured by cultural norms. A simple mathematical model was developed to explore women’s optimal marriage age under different circumstances, if the sole aim were to maximize maternal or paternal reproductive fitness. The model assumes that later marriage promotes women’s autonomy, enhancing control over fertility and childcare, but increases paternity un

Women’s early reproduction is detrimental to both maternal and child health. However, in societies where girls generally marry before having children, public health efforts need first to delay the age at which girls marry. By convention, early marriage is considered a socio-cultural decision sensitive to factors acting during adolescence, such as poverty, early menarche, and low education levels. Using a life history theoretical framework, we analysed prospective panel data on 305 families from

Reproductive ecologists have researched extensively how energy availability relates to reproductive function. Another finite resource which has received less attention is iron. Iron bioavailability is sensitive to both immune and nutritional stress and is required for successful reproduction. Thus, it is expected reproductive function may relate to iron availability, but little research has been carried out to date. Using hormone and haemoglobin data from rural Bolivian women, we tested wheth

The maternal buffering hypothesis posits that evolution has shaped human lactation to be capable of maintaining milk nutrient content during times of ecological stress that can result in low maternal dietary intake and poor nutritional status. Previous studies have provided support for maternal buffering of milk energy content, but few investigated micronutrient content, particularly in the context of multifaceted ecological stress, such as when mothers face both shortfalls in multiple nutrients

The relationship between phenotypic, genetic, and reproductive variation is central to the goal in evolutionary sciences of understanding the processes of evolution and adaptation. To date, few human examples link all elements of human biological variation, genetic variation and demography and a stressful environment. One reason lies in the difficulty of assembling relevant data and sufficient sample sizes. This report takes the approach of studying women living under the stress of chronic hig

Among the most consequential unknowns of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic are the durability of immunity and time to likely reinfection. There is limited direct data on SARS-CoV-2 long-term immune responses and reinfection. However, the durability of immunity among evolutionarily close coronavirus relatives of SARS-CoV-2 has been assayed, making it possible to estimate times to reinfection by a comparative evolutionary analysis of related viruses SARS-CoV-1, MERS, HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL6

Pathogens and parasites have long posed significant threats to human survival. In response, humans have mounted various physiological and psychological adaptations to counter infection. One line of inquiry into these adaptations has examined how trait vulnerability shapes infection avoidance strategies, often using the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale as an individual difference measure (PVD: Duncan et al., 2009). The PVD measures Germ Aversion: wariness towards infection cues, and Perc

Evolution of virulence is discussed and debated over several decades in evolutionary biology. The earlier generalization of evolution towards loss of virulence was replaced by a paradigm of contextual evolution of virulence. We examine conditions that favour evolution to altered virulence in the Covid-19 pandemic. We question whether the reduction in death rate can be assigned to evolution towards reduced virulence, by comparative analysis of alternative hypotheses. Further, we examine whether p

Most studies to date have focused on the negative aspects of anxiety. Anxiety, however, is an evolved emotional response serving to decrease mortality risk. Pandemics are characterized by increased mortality risk coupled with future uncertainties, which both cause heightened anxiety. Here, we examine the factors associated with anxiety levels and risk avoidance behaviours during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked how individual time perspectives (future-oriented consideration and

Postnatal depression (PND) had a pre-COVID-19 estimated prevalence ranging up to 23% in Europe and is detrimental to mothers and infants. Low social support is a key risk factor for developing PND – this is perhaps unsurprising, as humans evolved as cooperative childrearers, inherently reliant on social support. COVID-19 has created a situation in which support from social networks beyond the nuclear family is likely to be even more important to new mothers; whilst at the same time, social restr

Recent decades have seen an unprecedented rise in mental illnesses and disorders. This presentation aims to go against the consensus that the rise in mental illness and disorders is entirely due to a change in diagnostic criteria. Instead, our species have evolved to develop immune systems that make us vulnerable to psychopathology. Understanding that evolution has shaped our neural networks through our immune system can help us contextualise the veritable mental health epidemic that humanity is

The evolutionary principles that shaped human physiology, behavior, culture, and environment can be profoundly useful in medical education. Currently, however, medical students are not learning how to apply evolution’s tools to clinical practice and research. More than half of research universities offer courses on evolutionary medicine (Grunspan, et al. 2019). American medical schools have not yet followed suit. Consequently, medical research and clinical practice may be slower to develop e

Learning about evolutionary medicine inspired an interdisciplinary group of undergraduate students to form the Edith Cowan University Student Society for Evolution and Medicine in 2019. Students are exposed to evolutionary medicine through coursework units including ‘Human evolution and ecology’ and ‘Evolutionary perspectives on health and disease’ at Edith Cowan University (ECU), in Joondalup, Western Australia. In turn, the knowledge gained in these evolutionary medicine units was found to ha

This study uses cross-sectional, self-report methodology to investigate the link between reported history of child abuse (MACE) and adult executive functioning (BRIEF), personality (BFI), and behavioral impulsivity (UPPS) after controlling for other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). In line with evolutionary Life History Theory, we expected child abuse to correlate negatively with adult executive functioning and with the conscientiousness and agreeableness subscales of the BFI and correlate

Early adversity is a major risk factor for developing PTSD later in life. However, a positive relation between early adversity and PTSD vulnerability is at odds with developmental psychological life history theory perspective which states that early experiences epigenetically prepare you for dealing with those experiences later in life rather than make you more vulnerable to them. According to this view, early adversity should lead to a fast life history orientation (a suite of behavioral and ph

The concept of evolution is fundamental to all of the earth and life sciences. There is no scientific debate about whether life evolves. Nevertheless, according to The National Center for Science Education, acceptance and understanding of evolution is severely lacking, with fewer than 50% of adults in the US aware that humans evolved from earlier species. Evolution is often seen as a threat to personal worldviews and it is poorly understood. For these reasons it is imperative that evolutionary b

A major obstacle to the evolutionary analysis of mental disorders is that many standard diagnostic categories are highly heterogeneous, and hence are going to require multiple and often divergent explanations. In turn, different explanations are likely to have different implications for the connections between evolution and “neurodiversity”. In this talk, I discuss how evolutionary psychopathology offers a richer taxonomy of explanations than other approaches—one that is not limited to classic c

Autism refers to highly heterogenous, highly heritable conditions commonly associated with social challenges but perceptual strengths. Research aimed to identify the genetics of autism has revealed that the majority of autism risk is conferred by common variants, i.e. genes present in the general population that individually make small contributions to autism likelihood. Using the results of genome-wide association studies for autism, it is possible to compute a score representing the cumulative

Psychiatry has a long history of (mis)classifying socially undesirable behaviors as ‘diseases’, and leaders in the field warn that psychiatric diagnosis continues to pathologize normal and healthy variation, a claim shared by advocates of the neurodiversity movement. According to Wakefield’s ‘harmful dysfunction’ concept of disease, ‘harmful’ signifies a subjective value judgement, and ‘dysfunction’ is the failure of a trait to perform its evolved function. Inspired by this concept, Syme and Hag

The conceptual question of what it means for a mind to have ‘malfunctioned’ underlies the practical issue of counts as a mental disorder. In evolutionary psychiatry, functional analysis seeks to be consistent with evolutionary biology. As such, proper function is determined by selection history or fitness propensity, and dysfunction is understood as cognitive mechanism failure or evolutionary mismatch. The neurodiversity movement provides a challenge to this way of conceptualising functioning. N