The original 'Dune': how ancient human history in Arabia gave us modern lifestyle diseases

A leading Charles Sturt University researcher will describe how his recent research has led to a new field - evolutionary medicine - at a public lecture in Port Macquarie on Wednesday 10 April.

• A Charles Sturt University Provocations public lecture in Port Macquarie on Wednesday 10 April will explore ancient human history and genetic selection
• Our evolutionary history makes humans a great model system to study rapid genetic adaptation to climate change
• Research shows a critical step in human evolution was a major phase of genetic selection for cold temperatures

A leading Charles Sturt University researcher will describe how his recent research has led to a new field - evolutionary medicine - at a public lecture in Port Macquarie on Wednesday 10 April.

Professor of Evolution and Environmental Change Alan Cooper (pictured) from the Charles Sturt Gulbali Research Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment explained that our genomes record a hidden but prolonged period of harsh genetic selection and adaptation in Arabia, as modern humans left Africa.

"The genetic systems we changed to survive the challenging cold, dry desert conditions now set us up for a range of modern lifestyle diseases, from obesity to autism," Professor Cooper said.

"This hidden record shows the potential of evolutionary medicine, where past changes highlight key interacting genes and systems that lie buried within modern populations."

Host of the public lecture in Port Macquarie, Charles Sturt Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Mark Evans, said the lecture series is evidence of the University's commitment to achieving applied research excellence and fostering impactful partnerships.

"Charles Sturt University research consistently delivers tangible benefits for local communities, industry, government and businesses because we are driven by a genuine passion for creating meaningful change," he said.

"The University's research initiatives aim to deliver a positive impact at a regional, national and global scale through our dedication to contributing to the sustainability and well-being of the communities we serve."

Professor Cooper led the recently published study 'The role of genetic selection and climatic factors in the dispersal of anatomically modern humans out of Africa' (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA, Tobler et al, March 2023).

He explained that as modern humans moved out of Africa and around the world just 55,000 years ago, they were forced to rapidly adapt to multiple new environments. As a result, humans are a great model animal system to study rapid genetic adaptation to climate change.

"Our genomes record a prolonged but currently unknown period when we were trapped in the Arabian Peninsula. During this 'Arabian Standstill' from around 80,000 to 55,000 years ago, major networks of genes involved in the regulation of fat, nerves and skin all changed.

"Related genes were also incorporated from Neanderthals, who we interbred with at the end of this phase.

"Surprisingly, many of these same genes are now associated with major modern diseases, from autism to obesity and cardiovascular disease, heralding a brand-new field - evolutionary medicine."

To learn more about this fascinating topic, obtain free tickets through Humanitix for the Provocations public lecture which starts at 4pm, until 5pm. Light refreshments will be available at the venue, Charles Sturt University, Building 802, Room 1161, Major Innes Road, Port Macquarie.

Media Note:

To arrange interviews with Professor Alan Cooper, who is based in Albury-Wodonga, contact Bruce Andrews at Charles Sturt Media on mobile 0418 669 362 or via [email protected]

The Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment is a strategic investment by Charles Sturt University to drive integrated research to optimise farming systems, enhance freshwater ecosystems and improve environmental management, to deliver benefits across Australia and globally.

Professor Alan Cooper is the Professor of Evolution and Environmental Change at Charles Sturt University in Albury-Wodonga. His multi-disciplinary research integrates genomics, climate and environmental change, bioinformatics and mathematics, archaeology, microbiology, palaeontology, and medical sciences and has resulted in over 35 papers in the journal Nature and Science. He has been centrally involved in the development of the field of ancient DNA, working with Svante Pääbo (Nobel Prize 2022) and Allan Wilson at UC Berkeley in 1989. He was the inaugural Professor of Ancient Biomolecules at the University of Oxford (2001), and an ARC Federation, Future, and Laureate Fellow at the University of Adelaide from 2005-2020, where he built the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA. He was the South Australian Scientist of the Year (2016/2017), received the Eureka Prize (2017), and led the multiple-award winning Aboriginal Heritage Project to reconstruct pre-European Aboriginal Australia history using ancient DNA. More information is available at www.blueskygenetics.com

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