The future of evolutionary medicine

A Frontiers Forum video with superb production quality and commentaries from leaders in the field, including Prof Barbara Natterson Horowitz | Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, and School of Medicine, UCLA Division of Cardiology, USA • Prof Randolph Nesse | Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Michigan, USA • Prof Daniel Blumstein | Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California – Los Angeles • Dr Bernard Crespi | Department of Evolutionary Biology, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada • Dr Molly Fox | Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA • Dr Athena Aktipis | Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, USA.

Evolutionary processes drive many health threats, from antimicrobial resistance to pandemics to ‘Anthropocene-related’ conditions such as obesity. Could evolution also inspire new ways to prevent and treat disease?

In this Frontiers Forum Deep Dive session on 21 September 2023, Professors Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, Dan Blumstein, Randolph Nesse, and other renowned researchers, examined how evolutionary medicine can help inspire new ways to prevent and treat disease.

The session brought together the authors of the Frontiers in Science lead article ‘The future of evolutionary medicine: sparking innovation in biomedicine and public health’ in which they propose an interdisciplinary research agenda to realize the untapped potential of evolutionary medicine for addressing the critical health challenges of the 21st century.

Links:

• View the Frontiers in Science lead article at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/…
• View the Frontiers in Science article hub at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/…

Speakers:

• Prof Barbara Natterson Horowitz | Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, and School of Medicine, UCLA Division of Cardiology, USA
• Prof Randolph Nesse | Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Michigan, USA
• Prof Daniel Blumstein | Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California – Los Angeles
• Dr Bernard Crespi | Department of Evolutionary Biology, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada
• Dr Molly Fox | Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
• Dr Athena Aktipis | Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, USA

The talks were followed by a discussion session on how to unlock the future of evolutionary medicine, facilitated by Dan Blumstein.

INTRODUCTION
00:00:00 Opening
00:00:27 Welcome & introduction | Lee Baker | Frontiers Editorial Adviser
00:02:48 Setting the scene – a research agenda for biomedical innovations | Dr Barbara Natterson-Horowitz | Harvard University and UCLA Division of Cardiology, USA

KEYNOTE
00:11:08 Integrating evolutionary medicine into medical practice | Prof Randolph Nesse | University of Michigan, USA

PANEL DISCUSSION
00:34:36 Introduction of panel session | Lee Baker | Frontiers Editorial Adviser
00:36:52 Panel discussion on charting the path forward | Facilitated by Dan Blumstein | University of California – Los Angeles, USA

Q&A SESSION
01:04:39 Question and answer session

CONCLUSION
01:25:52 Closing words | Prof Barbara Natterson-Horowitz | Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, and School of Medicine, UCLA Division of Cardiology, USA

Frontiers Forum Deep Dive sessions bring researchers, policy experts, and innovators together from around the world, to discuss a specific area of transformational science published in Frontiers’ flagship multidisciplinary journal, Frontiers in Science, and explore next steps for the field. Watch previous sessions at https://forum.frontiersin.org.