Call for submissions

Thematic or non-thematic presentation? It's up to you!

You can choose one of two options:

(1) You can submit a presentation without a specific theme, covering any research topic related to the networks, whether for the FRESH conference (keywords: human behavioral ecology, cultural evolution, evolutionary psychology, primatology, human genetics, evolutionary demography) or the RESHAPE conference ("Miscellaneous and Research Updates" session).

(2) Or, you can propose a presentation for one of the three specific themes offered this year (see below)

Each attendee can submit up to 1 talk as first author.

There will be no poster session.

As every year, FRESH will be held entirely in English. The joint session on “Evolutionary Medicine” will also be conducted in English. The RESHAPE day on November 6 will take place in French (presentations in English are also welcome).

The specific themes

Evolutionary Medicine and Public Health Challenges

Coordinators: Alexandra Alvergne & Arnaud Tognetti
Joint FRESH/RESHAPE session, in English – Afternoon of November 5
Invited speaker: Lluis Quintana-Murci

Evolutionary medicine is a set of concepts and tools drawn from evolutionary biology to understand why the human body is vulnerable to disease. This approach enriches our understanding of health issues, particularly in the areas of diet, reproduction, sleep, aging, cancer, and antibiotic resistance. This joint session of the two research networks GDR FRESH and RESHAPE aims to explore the contributions and limitations of an evolutionary perspective by bringing together multidisciplinary insights — from evolutionary biology, medicine, anthropology, history, philosophy, economics, psychology, and the social sciences. How can evolutionary medicine help us rethink prevention, healthcare, and public health policies? What new perspectives does it offer on modern pathologies — whether infectious, chronic, or mental? And how do studies on human health and disease contribute to advancing evolutionary biology?

Proposals may focus on empirical, theoretical, or methodological work and may address both contemporary issues and historical perspectives.

Public Health and Inequality: Understanding the Social, Biological, and Historical Roots of Health Disparities

Coordinators: Mona Joly & Grégoire Mercier
In French (possibility to present in English), session on November 6
Invited speaker: Raphaële Castagné

Health inequalities are neither new nor random: they emerge and persist within specific social, ecological, biological, and political contexts. This session invites contributions exploring how life trajectories, living conditions, environmental factors, and health policies interact with biological, psychological, and social dimensions to shape disparities in health between individuals and populations. Whether related to exposure to pathogens, nutrition, chronic stress, access to healthcare, or preventive policies, the social and ecological determinants of health are deeply intertwined with biological legacies and structural constraints. Drawing on approaches from evolutionary biology, public health, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and history, this session aims to shed light on the processes that generate and perpetuate these inequalities, both past and present. Particular attention will be paid to historical dynamics, health policy, intergenerational transmission, and cumulative effects, as well as potential avenues for public health interventions.

Climate Change, Health & Societal Challenges

Coordinators: Stéphanie Jacquet & Olivier Dutour
In French (possibility to present in English), session on November 6
Invited speaker: TBA

Rising temperatures, melting ice, sea level rise, extreme weather events, pollution, and ecosystem disruption — the signs of climate change are multiplying and represent a major threat. Beyond environmental concerns, human health is now on the front line, exposed to growing and complex risks: the spread of infectious diseases (vector-borne, zoonotic), increased exposure to pollutants and allergens, and the rise of antimicrobial resistance. At the same time, climate change contributes to worsening mental health issues, linked to natural disasters, environmental stress, or forced displacement. These effects impact populations unequally, exacerbating health vulnerabilities.

This session will explore emerging health risks related to climate through epidemiological, biological, social, and historical approaches. Its aim is to better understand the interactions between climate and health, analyze public health and policy responses, and examine capacities for adaptation and resilience. These health dynamics can also be approached from a long-term perspective, by exploring processes of disease emergence, evolution, or resurgence — including the potential reactivation of ancient pathogens, for instance through permafrost thawing.

We welcome proposals focusing on emerging infectious diseases, the effects of climate extremes, mental health, food insecurity, and public health policies. Historical, demographic, or paleoepidemiological perspectives are also strongly encouraged.