Simons Foundation Lectures
Biology: Mechanisms of Evolution
The 2025 lecture series in biology is “Mechanisms of Evolution.” Evolution drove the incredible diversity of life on our planet. In this series, scientists will explore the underlying mechanisms that drive evolutionary change. Topics will include evolutionary adaptation, speciation, the dynamics of host-microbe interactions and more. By examining a wide range of organisms, these lectures will provide insights into how evolutionary processes have produced the complex web of life we see today.
Past Lectures
The Function and Evolution of the Immune System in A. thaliana
Joy Bergelson, Ph.D.Executive Vice President, Life Sciences, Simons Foundation
Joy Bergelson, Ph.D.Executive Vice President, Life Sciences, Simons Foundation - Lecture
Where Did All the Dogs Come From? Dogs, Ancestors, Breeds and Genomes
Elaine A. Ostrander, Ph.D.Distinguished Senior Investigator and Section Head, National Human Genome Research Institute
Elaine A. Ostrander, Ph.D.Distinguished Senior Investigator and Section Head, National Human Genome Research Institute - Lecture
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Dynamic Evolution of the Spider Silk Gene Family
Cheryl Y. Hayashi, Ph.D.Senior Vice President and Provost of Science, American Museum of Natural History
Cheryl Y. Hayashi, Ph.D.Senior Vice President and Provost of Science, American Museum of Natural History - Lecture
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The Evolution of Darwin’s Finches
Peter Grant and Rosemary Grant, Ph.D.Professors Emeritus, Princeton University
Peter Grant and Rosemary Grant, Ph.D.Professors Emeritus, Princeton University - Lecture
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RNA-Guided Natural Genome Editing and the Emergence of Complex Genomes
Laura Landweber, Ph.D.Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics and of Biological Sciences, Columbia University
Laura Landweber, Ph.D.Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics and of Biological Sciences, Columbia University - Lecture
Real and Not Just Hopeful Monsters: Evolution by Very Large Jumps
Dmitri Petrov, Ph.D.Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of Biology, Stanford University
Dmitri Petrov, Ph.D.Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of Biology, Stanford University - Lecture
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