This course provides an introduction to the key concepts of evolutionary theory (natural/sexual selection, adaptation, genetic drift) and how they are applied to change our understanding of health and disease. Instead of asking how we get sick, we will try to understand why we get sick, and how our evolutionary past makes us vulnerable to the ailments of today. We’ll use this information to better understand specific diseases (e.g., heart attack, COVID-19, cancer, anxiety/depression) as selected by course participants.
