Evolutionary Medicine

Human biology reflects our long history as hunter-gatherers. For example, to cope with a variable food supply, we evolved the ability to consume extra calories and store them efficiently as fat. Now that most humans five very differently, this adaptation is often a disadvantage. Evolutionary medicine, an exciting new multidisciplinary field, looks at such conflicts between our biological traits and contemporary culture. It provides deep insights into a wide range of aspects of human health and biology, from childhood asthma and infant crying to breast cancer, aging, and menopause. The approach is uncovering both causes and treatments and wilt be an essential aspect of medical research well into the next century.