GRK 2220:  Evolutionary Processes in Adaptation and Disease (RTG EvoPAD)

• Subject Area: Zoology ; Microbiology, Virology and Immunology ; Philosophy
• Term: from 2017 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 281125614

The evolution of antibiotic resistance by pathogens and the rising rates of cardiovascular diseases and psychiatric disorders, pose major challenges to human health. Moreover, the distinction between health and disease may depend on individual life history and its interaction with the environment. With this proposal, we suggest to use knowledge derived from the theory of evolution to achieve a deeper understanding of the processes that are underlying adaptation and disease. Moreover, diseases are often exciting for evolutionary research itself, as evolution is generally assumed to lead to adaptation, and the question arises, why diseases have not been eliminated by evolution. While this is obvious in the case of rapidly evolving pathogens, it seems counter-intuitive in cases where diseasecausing genetic variants are produced or maintained in the population. Today, we are able to trace such evolutionary processes in molecular detail. Such knowledge will be used by graduate students of the proposed RTG EvoPAD to advance evolutionary theory, and in turn apply evolutionary approaches to medical questions. A particular strength of EvoPAD is its foundation in the philosophy of science. Our philosophy graduate students will benefit from first-hand access to modern biological and medical research. In turn, biology graduate students will gain from a refined awareness of conceptual consequences of a chosen theory.The research projects of EvoPAD students will be anchored within their respective own disciplines, while interdisciplinarity will be achieved through our mentoring system and joint research. We will provide a comprehensive and structured doctoral programme, tailored to individual career tracks. The EvoPAD-specific curriculum will give opportunities for intensive interactions with international visiting scientists, and through summer schools and courses covering evolutionary and population genetics, bioinformatics, experimental design, philosophy of science and bioethics. Our students will also reach an advanced ethical awareness, giving them skills required for research and society in general. EvoPAD will benefit from supporting structures for doctoral students at the University of Münster, provided by the Graduate Centre and the Münster Graduate School of Evolution (MGSE). Moreover, EvoPAD will serve an important function in the University of Münster, by connecting existing strengths in the life sciences with those of the humanities.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Universität Münster
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Joachim Kurtz
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Erich Bornberg-Bauer; Dr. Francesco Catania; Professor Dr. Ulrich Dobrindt; Professor Dr. Jürgen Gadau, since 4/2018; Professor Dr. Ulrich Krohs; Professor Dr. Stephan Ludwig; Professor Dr. Alexander Mellmann; Professor Dr. Michael Quante; Professorin Dr. Sophie Helene Richter; Professor Dr. Norbert Sachser; Privatdozent Dr. Jürgen Schmitz; Professorin Dr. Monika Stoll