Human reproduction and evolution: Perspectives from developmental biology, obstetrics, orthopedics and biomechanics

 


This scientific symposium will be held on September 7th and 8th, 2023 at the University of Vienna, University Biology Building (UBB, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna), in lecture hall 2 (HS2).
Registration is not required. Anyone who is interested is welcome to attend! 

 

Topics

  • Obstetrics (Wolfgang Umek, Engelbert Hanzal, Barbara Fischer)
  • Comparative Anatomy and Biology (Karen Rosenberg, Nicole Grunstra, Nicole Webb, Philipp Mitteroecker, Lia Betti, Nicole Torres Tamayo)
  • Paleoanthropology (Pierre Frémondière, Martin Häusler)
  • Energetics (Jonathan Wells, Cédric Cordey)
  • Biomechanics of the Pelvic Floor (Katya Stansfield, Marco Parente)
  • Locomotion (Jochen Hofstätter, Sebastian Simon, Hans Kainz/Clara Egner)
  • Developmental Biology (Nicolas Rivron, Mihaela Pavlicev, Günter Wagner).

 

Schedule

Day 1, September 7

09:30-09:40 Welcome

Comparative Anatomy and Biology

09:40-10:00 - Karen Rosenberg (Univ. Delaware): "Human childbirth and the obstetrical dilemma"
10:00-10:20 - Lia Betti (UCL/Univ. Roehampton): "The human pelvis and childbirth: reframing 'normality'"
10:20-10:40 - Nicole Torres-Tamayo (Univ. Roehampton): "Obstetric constraints in the primate bony pelvis"

– 10:40- 11:10 Coffee Break (30 min) –

11:10-11:30  - Nicole Grunstra (Univ. Vienna): "What can we learn from birth in other mammals?"
11:30-11:50  - Nicole Webb (Univ. Tübingen): "A locomotion perspective of the primate pelvis"

Obstetrics

11:50-12:10 - Barbara Fischer (Univ. Vienna): "Pelvic anatomy and birth mode"

– 12:10-13:40 Lunch Break (90 min) –

13:40-14:00 - Philipp Mitteroecker (Univ. Vienna): "Evolutionary compromises and conflicts"
14:00-14:20 - Engelbert Hanzal (MedUni Vienna): "Prevalence, types and causes of pelvic floor disorders"
14:20-14:40 - Wolfgang Umek (MedUni Vienna): "Do Cesarean sections protect against developing pelvic floor disorders?"

– 14:40-15:10 Coffee Break (30 min) –

Biomechanics of the Pelvic Floor

15:10-15:30 - Marco Parente (Univ. Porto): "Modeling pelvic floor injuries due to childbirth"
15:30-15:50 - Katya Stansfield (Univ. Vienna): "Pelvic floor: function against geometry"

Paleoanthropology

15:50-16:10 - Pierre Frémondière (Aix-Marseille Univ.): "Reconstructing the birthing process of Australopithecines"
16:10-16:30 - Martin Häusler (Univ. Zurich): "Neanderthal pelvic shape and the evolution of human childbirth"

16:30-17:00 General Discussion 

 

Day 2, September 8


09:30-09:40 Welcome back

Energetics

09:40-10:00 Talk 14 - Jonathan Wells (UCL): "Nutrition transitions and the obstetrical dilemma"
10:00-10:20 Talk 15 - Cédric Cordey (Univ. Zurich): "The variation of maternal and fetal energy requirements and their role in birth timing"

Locomotion

10:20-10:40 Talk 16 - Jochen Hofstätter (Orthop. Hospital Vienna Speising): "Hip joint pathologies: diagnosis and treatment" 

– 10:40- 11:10 Coffee Break (30 min) –

11:10-11:30 Talk 17 - Sebastian Simon (Orthop. Hospital Vienna Speising): "AI in orthopedics for leg and hip evaluation: current state and future directions"
11:30-11:50 Talk 18 - Hans Kainz/Clara Egner (Univ. Vienna): "Modelling the effect of wider hips"

Developmental Biology

11:50-12:10 Talk 19 - Nicolas Rivron (IMBA Vienna): "Blastoids: modeling specifies differences in early embryogenesis with stem cells"

– 12:10-13:40 Lunch Break (90 min) –

13:40-14:00 Talk 20 - Mihaela Pavlicev (Univ. Vienna): "Uterine invasibility protects against preterm birth."
14:00-14:20 Talk 21  - Günter Wagner (Yale/Univ. Vienna): "The co-evolution of placental invasion and cancer malignancy."

– 14:20-14:50 Coffee Break (30 min)–

14:50-15:50 Round Table Discussion