Evolution of Mammalian Pregnancy: born out of fire

Günter Paul Wagner, PhD, MA h.c.

Alison Richard Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Yale University

Biography：Günter P. Wagner is the Alison Richard Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University and a pioneer of the field of evolutionary developmental biology.

Dr. Wagner finished his undergraduate education in chemical engineering (1973), he received training in biochemical engineering, zoology, and mathematics from the University of Vienna (1973-1979), then completed his Ph.D. in zoology.

He spent six postdoctoral years (1979-1985) at the Max Planck Institutes for Biophysical Chemistry and for Developmental Biology before assuming a full professorship in the Biology department at Yale University (1991- present). His research focuses predominantly on the study of homology, or character identity, one of the most difficult concepts in evolutionary biology. He has published three books, the last one is Homology, Genes, and Evolutionary Innovation (Princeton) (2014) provides a fresh and compelling definition of homology and how it arises in evolution.

Abstract: The origin of extended gestation and sustained placentation is a key innovation in the evolution of Eutherian mammal, aka placental mammals. Eutherian mammals are unique in accommodating an invasive form of implantation that includes extensive destruction of maternal tissue. In this talk I will summarize our work on the origin of this form of female reproduction by comparing gestation in the opossum, a marsupial, with that of eutherian mammals. We find that an acute inflammatory reaction was likely ancestral to eutherians and the key innovation, at the cell biological level, was the evolution of anti-inflammatory mechanisms in the endometrium, making extended pregnancy possible.

Time: Dec. 8th, 2017, 16:00-17:00

Venue: Biotechnology Building 2-201

Host: Xiao Liu 刘晓