Apply for funding from the Zurich Institute of Evolutionary Medicine

2016 IEM Grant

The Institute of Evolutionary Medicine (IEM), University of Zurich, is now calling for grant applications. Submission deadline is December 1st, 2015. All relevant details regarding the submission can be found in the call for applications

2015 IEM Grant

The 2015-IEM Grant has been awarded to Prof. Dominik J. Schaer and Dr. Jeremy Deuel (Division of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich) for the following project (abstract):

Evolutionary diversity, competition and adaption of innate defense against hemoglobin toxicity
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Hemolytic conditions such as malaria, sickle cell disease or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency had an enormous impact on human evolution. One of the immediate pathophysiologic components of hemolysis is free hemoglobin (Hb), which is released from red blood cells (RBC) that are destroyed within the circulation. An even broader impact of free Hb on evolution must be expected from its pathophysiologic effects at wound sites and during hemolysis associated with certain bacterial infections. The biologic adverse effects that can be triggered by free Hb include vascular dysfunction, oxidative damage and immune response modulation. Mammalian species have an efficient Hb defense system composed of plasma scavenger proteins, such as haptoglobin, and specific macrophage clearance receptors buy generic zovirax. Evolutionary pressures such as malaria are hypothesized to have distinguished human Hb clearance mechanisms from other species. An alternative and structurally unique system has been identified in chicken, which is considered to represent an ancient species genetically related to dinosaurs. In this project we will compare structural and functional properties of the ancient chicken and the modern mammalian Hb defense systems. These data may shed new light on the role of hemolysis, Hb toxicity and the related defense pathways in human evolution Clomid 50mg