Survive and Thrive - How Homo Sapiens became Earth’s apex predators

National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. This year, Victorians are celebrating the theme ‘Survive and Thrive’ which explores the interconnectedness of the natural world and how different species rely on each other to survive and thrive.  

Head of SVI’s Human Genomics and Evolution Lab, Associate Professor Irene Gallego Romero has been studying the ways in which natural selection and evolution have shaped humanity and to understand how our species’ past defines our present. 

Irene’s work is currently focused on documenting genetic populations in Southeast Asia with a particular interest on the Indonesian archipelago, an ethnic group that is underrepresented by current data sets. By diversifying our current knowledge of the human genome, future medical treatment can be targeted towards an individual’s genome sequence which leads to better health outcomes.  

Watch Associate Professor Irene Gallego Romero on ABC’s ‘The Human Revolution’ to learn more about the history of humanity.