Evolution & Human Health

Our research focuses broadly on evolutionary applications to human health and disease. Our work is motivated by fundamental questions in life history theory. We use a combination of genomics, comparative biology and evolutionary theory to help understand trade-offs between survival and reproduction across different levels of biological organization, from molecules to organisms and everything in between.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Elephant Genome & Disease Defense

New preprint on bioRxiv

Draft genome assembly for the Asian elephant and an improved African elephant assembly, showing differences in disease defense, including cancer.

Life History & Cancer in Mammals

New paper in EMPH

We report on cancer prevalence and life history traits in mammals. We find support for Peto’s Paradox and suggest a trade-off between reproduction & cancer defenses!

The promise of comparative oncology

New paper in iScience

Check out our new review on cancer across vetebrates.

Funding Alert!

Carmen Hové awarded NSF DDIG

Carmen was awarded an NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant!! She will be studying the link between maternal immune function, maternal health, and breastfeeding behavior in postpartum mothers.

Congrats Carmen!!!!

Wildlife Cancer

Collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Services

Investigating the incidence and type of cancer in wild animals, including elephants, zebras, and rhinoceros. Read more about our cancer across species project and the goals of ACE here.