Collins Conference Room
Seminar
  US Mountain Time
Speaker: 
Michael Hochberg, University of Montpellier; Santa Fe Institute External Professor

Our campus is closed to the public for this event.

Abstract.  Evolutionary theory explains why metazoan species are largely protected against the negative fitness effects of cancers. Nevertheless, cancer is observed across a range of species and sometimes at high prevalence. I first describe the basis of “Peto’s paradox”: the observation that cancer risk across species does not change with either longevity or body size. I then present a simple model showing how life history traits (e.g., body size) are expected to coevolve with anti-cancer mechanisms. The insights of this model form the basis for understanding cancer sensitivity and resistance in three mammals with contrasting life histories: mice, elephants and naked mole rats. One of the interesting findings for these and other species is the potential role played by novel environments in cancer risk. To explore this further, different human tissues are viewed as “species”, and I present an analysis evaluating whether Peto’s paradox is observed across tissue types. 
 

Purpose: 
Research Collaboration
SFI Host: 
Jennifer Dunne

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