Course: Disease and Human Evolution - bmc.ANTH.B317.001.F26

Section outline

Select section General

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General

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- Select activity Disease and human evolution syllabus Fall 2026
  
  Disease and human evolution syllabus Fall 2026 File PDF
  
  273.4 KB · Uploaded 09/1/26, 10:49
- Select activity Announcements
  
  Announcements Forum
- Select activity Evolutionary medicine in the news
  
  Evolutionary medicine in the news Forum
- Select activity Discussion moderation sign up
  
  Discussion moderation sign up URL
  
  Students must
  
  Mark as done
  
  Please sign up for discussion moderation here. There are 15 students in the class, but only 11 weeks left in which we will have readings to discuss. Most weeks there should be two discussants, who can coordinate and help divide the workload between themselves. The last two weeks listed require just one discussant per class meeting; we will have a shorter discussion time to make space for student presentations. There are more slots than there are students, so please indicate interest for two slots (you'll only do one in the end) and list your preference as 1 (highest preference) or 2 (would also work). I'll try to accommodate everyone's preferences and make sure days with two discussants have two; I'll fill in on days where there isn't enough student discussants.
- Select activity How to read and understand a scientific paper (full blog post)
  
  How to read and understand a scientific paper (full blog post) URL
- Select activity How to read and understand a scientific article (shorter version)
  
  How to read and understand a scientific article (shorter version) File PDF
  
  87.8 KB · Uploaded 09/1/26, 17:25
- Select activity Readings from previous versions of this course
  
  Readings from previous versions of this course Folder
Select section Week 1: What is evolutionary medicine, and why study it?

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Week 1: What is evolutionary medicine, and why study it?
- Select activity Optional: Gould & Lewontin (1979)
  
  Optional: Gould & Lewontin (1979) File PDF
  
  4.2 MB · Uploaded 09/1/26, 17:30
- Select activity Bergman & Beehner (2021) Leveling with Tinbergen
  
  Bergman & Beehner (2021) Leveling with Tinbergen File PDF
  
  1.3 MB · Uploaded 09/1/26, 17:33
- Select activity Class 1 evolutionary medicine
  
  Class 1 evolutionary medicine File PDF
  
  1.5 MB · Uploaded 09/1/26, 20:01
Select section Week 2: Are disease symptoms, in fact, adaptations to disease?

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Week 2: Are disease symptoms, in fact, adaptations to disease?
Select section Week 3: Host-pathogen interactions: an evolutionary arms race without end?

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Week 3: Host-pathogen interactions: an evolutionary arms race without end?
Select section Week 4: What’s evolution ever done for us? Gifts from our evolutionary ancestors & relatives

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Week 4: What’s evolution ever done for us? Gifts from our evolutionary ancestors & relatives
- Select activity Canva "cheat sheet" for week 4
  
  Canva "cheat sheet" for week 4 URL
Select section Week 5: Paleodiet or paleofantasy? How diet affects health

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Week 5: Paleodiet or paleofantasy? How diet affects health
Research paper outlines due
Select section Week 6: Our microbes, ourselves?

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Week 6: Our microbes, ourselves?
Select section Week 7: Fall break - no class

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Week 7: Fall break - no class
Select section Week 8: How do human-environment interactions affect (our susceptibility to) diseases?

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Week 8: How do human-environment interactions affect (our susceptibility to) diseases?
- Select activity Kinsman presentation
  
  Kinsman presentation URL
Select section Week 9: How does stress affect human health? Why does race play a role in human health?

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Week 9: How does stress affect human health? Why does race play a role in human health?
Fact or fiction? analysis due
- Select activity Fact or fiction? submit here (guidelines on the syllabus)
  
  Fact or fiction? submit here (guidelines on the syllabus) Assignment
  
  Opened: Sunday, August 23, 2026, 12:00 AM
  
  Due: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 11:59 PM
Select section Week 10: How does health early in our development affect adult outcomes?

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Week 10: How does health early in our development affect adult outcomes?
Select section Week 11: How have pandemics affected human evolution?

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Week 11: How have pandemics affected human evolution?
Select section Week 12: Thanksgiving break - no class

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Week 12: Thanksgiving break - no class
Select section Week 13: Can evolution help explain chronic diseases?

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Week 13: Can evolution help explain chronic diseases?
Research paper final drafts due Dec 3rd, 11:59 PM

Research presentations I
- Select activity Research paper final drafts (submit here)
  
  Research paper final drafts (submit here) Assignment
  
  Opens: Friday, October 23, 2026, 1:00 AM
  
  Due: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 11:59 PM
Select section Week 14: Can evolution explain cancer?

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Week 14: Can evolution explain cancer?
Research presentations II
Select section Week 15: How do mental health and behavioral issues fit into the evolutionary picture?

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Week 15: How do mental health and behavioral issues fit into the evolutionary picture?
Research presentations III
Select section Week 16: Exam period (no class, no exam)

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Week 16: Exam period (no class, no exam)