Applied Evolution

The Applied Evolution group at Penn State harnesses evolutionary principles to develop sustainable, science-based solutions to pressing challenges in agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and human and environmental health.

Evolutionary principles are essential for understanding how biological systems adapt to new environments and for predicting their responses to future selective pressures. By leveraging these principles, we gain a powerful predictive framework to tackle some of society's most urgent challenges, including conserving biodiversity, managing invasive organisms, combating emerging infectious and epizootic diseases, and advancing sustainable agriculture. An applied evolution framework reframes these challenges as problems we can anticipate, model, and manage over time, rather than react to indefinitely. This shift in perspective is critical to the long-term sustainability of agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and medicine.

Mission

This interdisciplinary team seeks to apply evolutionary principles and train new generations of scientists to address global challenges (e.g., impacts of climate change, food security, health, and loss of biodiversity). The team has the unique opportunity to leverage what is known about evolution in systematic, creative ways to develop solutions and create teams that translate and apply the fundamentals of evolution toward improving human and environmental well-being. 

For more information on Applied Evolution, contact Margarita López-Uribe or see the Applied Evolution Critical Issue Initiative.