Arizona State University Regents Anne Stone will present research on the evolutionary history of infectious disease at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting, which takes place in Phoenix next week.
Stone’s presentation, “(Re)Emerging Pathogens: Ancient Spillovers Teach Us About Modern Plagues,” examines tuberculosis (TB), a disease that has affected humans and animals for thousands of years. Drawing on genetic analyses of ancient DNA, her research traces how TB moved between species and human populations over time and what those patterns reveal about the emergence of infectious disease today.
Genetic evidence from pre-Columbian TB cases shows that the disease entered human populations in the Americas through multiple zoonotic spillovers from seals, followed by sustained human-to-human transmission across inland regions and into North America. After European contact, TB strains originating in Eurasia rapidly replaced earlier strains, reshaping disease patterns across the continent.
“Ancient genomes allow us to study infectious disease over much longer timescales than modern data alone,” Stone said. “By looking at how pathogens emerged and adapted in the past, we can identify recurring patterns in the ecological and social conditions that make widespread transmission possible.”
Stone’s work also considers how humans respond to disease over time, including cultural practices and genetic adaptations that influence resistance and vulnerability. Understanding these long-term interactions, she said, provides important context for how pathogens may continue to evolve.
Stone is a Regents Professor in ASU’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change and director for ASU’s Center for Evolution and Medicine. She is an internationally recognized expert in ancient DNA whose research focuses on the evolutionary history of infectious disease and the intersections of biology and human populations.
The AAAS Annual Meeting brings together scientists, policymakers and members of the public from around the world to discuss advances in science and their implications for society.
More information about Stone and her research is available at https://search.asu.edu/profile/627984