Author: Johanna Interian
As part of the Saul Seminar Series, Dr. Marlene Zuk, professor of biology at University of California - Riverside, led a lecture on Thurs., April 23 in McCardell Bicentennial Hall titled "Why Doctors Need Darwin." Zuk provided an evolutionary perspective for looking at parasites that was not lacking in comic relief.
"I really like her speaking style; she has a very accessible lecturing style and can explain a concept in 20 minutes that usually takes longer to understand," said Associate Professor of Biology Helen Young, who taught a first-year seminar called "Darwinian Medicine" in fall 2007.
The lecture was largely based on her recent book, "Riddled with Life: Friendly Worms, Ladybug Sex, and the Parasites That Make Us Who We Are," which she calls "a happy book about disease" that runs counter to other more "militaristic views" toward parasites.
Instead of looking at them as disease-causing pathogens, Zuk proposed that we see parasites as a natural part of our biological makeup. Since humans have coevolved in an environment with pathogens and disease-causing agents, Zuk claimed that completely removing them could have detrimental effects.
"I'm not suggesting that we should seek to be sick, but what if it's a force that we could learn to live with - like gravity?" said Zuk. "Gravity makes things fall and break, our skin wrinkly and our body parts saggy
UC prof shares the benefits of parasites
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