October 25, 2004 | Press Release

What can we learn from flies, worms, and sea urchins?
International Workshop on "Vital Age-Trajectories" at the Max-Planck-Institute for Demographic Research, October 27- 30

An international workshop on the age-trajectories of mortality and fertility is taking place at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) Rostock on October 27 - 30, 2004. Prof. James W. Vaupel, Founding Director of the MPIDR and organizer of the workshop, opens the meeting on Wednesday 27 at 2 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Max Planck Institute.

The first day of the seminar is dedicated to "Vital Age-Trajectories: A Review of Theories and Realities". Scientists will discuss theoretical explanations and empirical evidence on the life-histories of different species. The following days will focus in the main on aging and mortality - not only of humans, but also of mammals, plants, and micro-organisms. What can we learn from other species, such as flies, worms, and sea urchins? This question touches a broad variety of approaches, such as evolutionary theory, social and economic behavior, and bio-chemical processes.

Scientists working at the MPIDR as well as national and international researchers will participate in the workshop. Among the guests are the university professors Caleb Finch from Los Angeles, co-organizer of the workshop, Kenneth Wachter and Ronald Lee from Berkeley, and Brian Charlesworth from Edinburgh.

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Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
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Fax: +49 (381) 2081-280

 

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The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It's part of the Max Planck Society, the internationally renowned German research society.