Human susceptibility to diseases has been suggested to partly result from adaptation to different environments during our evolutionary past. As our modern environments have changed rapidly from the past, the challenges of adapting to new environments may have increased the risk of certain diseases. The DECADES-project, conducted in the University of Turku, investigates how our past environments have shaped our disease risks in Finland with multidisciplinary and unique data during the last 300 years. Specifically, we investigate variation in death causes and lifespan with time and place 1) in different social, cultural and physical environments, 2) after past epidemics and famines and 3) during changes in modern environments and 4) get a comprehensive view of disease patterns in Finland. The project aims to increase understanding on the adaptive mechanisms influencing disease risks in modern world and inspire new research avenues, ultimately impacting human health in future generations.

2025

2029