Continuous In Vitro Directed Evolution of Macromolecules

Evolutionary processes, and specifically selection-based mechanisms, have long served to inspire in vitro methods for generating proteins and nucleic acids that mediate functions of interest.  Examples going back two decades include the development of phage...

Accessible Account of the Complexity of Complexity

Whatever definition is used, there is no shortage of complexity in biology, medicine, or of greatest relevance for this forum, evolutionary medicine.  As is made abundantly clear in the first-ever textbook of evolutionary medicine by Gluckman et al. (2010), in...

Man, Machine, and Metaphorical Misdirection

The imitation of living and sentient beings by machines is recently much on the minds of many Americans.  A computer designed and built by scientists and engineers at IBM, “Watson,” convincingly defeated two former “Jeopardy” champions in a televised competition...

Considering Cellular Complexity

It is challenging to account for the origins or fully fathom the workings of the generally imposing and sometimes inspiring complexity of both intracellular and extracellular biochemical systems.  One theme among many illustrative of this complexity is the...