De los neandertales al COVID-19 - Lluis Quintana-Murci | Antofagasta 2026

Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going? The history of humankind can be read today in our genomes. Since the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa, humans have embarked on an extraordinary expansion across the planet, traversing continents, adapting to new climates, and exploring unknown territories. This long journey was neither linear nor isolated. The most recent genomic research shows that interbreeding among human populations, including genetic exchange with archaic humans such as Neanderthals, was an essential component of our evolutionary history. Far from being anecdotal, this heritage has contributed to the survival of human populations, especially against pathogens, although it can also increase vulnerability to modern diseases, as observed in the context of COVID-19. The analysis of human genomes allows us to understand how populations have adapted to diverse environments, changing nutritional resources, and varying infectious pressures. Evolutionary genomics is thus revealed as a fundamental tool for deciphering the connection between genetic diversity, susceptibility to infectious diseases, and the development of more precise and personalized medicine.