Together with the Faculty of Biology and Archeology of Leiden University and Leiden University Medical Centre, Leyden Academy participates in the minor Human Evolution. In this minor, students learn how knowledge about our evolutionary history can help to better understand why we develop diseases with age and how we can prevent it.
For example, the current obesity epidemic could be better controlled by bringing our living environment more in line with the environment in which we lived in the distant past, with a limited food supply and a lot of physical activity. The same reasoning applies to autoimmune disorders and allergies, which can be viewed in a completely different light from the knowledge about the original environment.
During the minor, students from different disciplines will look for solutions to these challenges for our healthcare system.