2007
EVOLUTION: Applications in Human Health and Populations
December 1, 2007
Atlanta, GA
Understanding how we have been shaped by evolution can help us understand the modern human condition. Evolutionary biology is making important contributions in the field of human health through studies of the human genome, physiology, lifestyle and interaction with the environment. This symposium focused on the emerging field of evolutionary medicine which brings together comparative genomics, epidemiology, anthropology and other fields to synthesize a comprehensive view of human health. Symposium speakers described how this new work is leading to many exciting medical applications. The symposium speakers also discussed ethical issues and more general implications of evolutionary research in society.
Speakers
Greg Wray - Duke University, NC
Genomic Perspectives on the Evolution of Human Health and Disease
Carlos Bustamante - Cornell University, NY
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: Interpreting Evidence for Recent Natural Selection in the Human Genome
Marc Lipsitch - Harvard University, MA
Sex, Drugs and Natural Selection: Evolutionary Perspectives on Antibiotic Resistance
Sandra Romero-Steiner - CDC, GA
The Race Between Bacterial Adaptation and Protection of the Host
George Armelagos - Emory University, GA
The Road to the Viral Super Highway: Emerging Disease in the Time of Globalization
Sandra Soo-Jin Lee - Stanford University, CA
The Ethical Implications of Representing Evolution and Interpreting Difference
David Sloan Wilson - SUNY Binghamton, NY
Evolution for Everyone: How Darwin's Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives
Resources
2007 EVOLUTION: Applications in Human Health and Populations CD
This compilation of educational resources is designed to support the integration of the symposium material in the classroom. The CD includes articles and classroom activities specific to each presentation, as well as resources supporting the general topic. There is a collection of short video interviews with researchers who use evolutionary approaches to human health issues and information about resources from the National Institutes of Health.