Ada Yonath

Weizmann Institute of Science

Department of Structural Biology

Professor Martin S. and Helen Kimmel of Structural Biology, as well as Director of the Helen and Milton Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly. Her research is based on de- scribing the structure of the ribosome using novel crystallography techniques. Her work has earned her numerous awards, including the Wolf Prize in Chemistry, the Israeli Prize in Chemistry and the Nobel Prize in this same area in 2009. Recently the National Autonomous University of Mexico has named Dr. Yonath Extraor- dinary Professor. She will discuss the role of the Ribosome in evo- lution.

Leslea J. Hlusko

University of California at Berkeley

Department of Integrative Biology

Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Biology. Her re- search interests consist on understanding the genetic basis of mam- malian skeletal variation and evolution, with a focus on primates. In order to do this, she integrates information from diverse disciplines, including from paleontology, neontology, quantitative genetics, and developmental genetics. Also, she is Associate Faculty Curator and Associate Researcher at the Museum of Paleontology and the Mu- seum of Vertebrate Zoology respectively, both form the University of California at Berkeley. She will mainly discuss the topic of Hu- man Evolution.

Mauro Degli Esposti

Instituto Italiano di Tecnologia

Senior Scientist. His research interests are several, including fields such as bioenergetics, bioinformatics, apoptosis, cell biology, apop- tosis, biochemistry and bacterial evolution. His broad activity has led him to travel around the world, working in four different coun- tries in three continents. His contribution to the congress will consist mainly on discussing the theories around endosymbiosis

Iñaki Ruiz Trillo

Institut de Biologia Evolutiva

Department of Genetics

ICREA Professor and researcher from the Multicellgenome lab- oratory. Using molecular and bioinformatic techniques, he and his group obtain genomes from animals which are closest to unicellular organisms in order to perform functional and comparative genomics analyses. He is currently part of the editorial board of Biology Let- ters and EvoDevo journals. He will review the Origin of Multicel- lularity.

Eörs Szathmáry

Parmenides Center for the Conceptual Foundations of Science

Director

Director of the Parmenides Center for the Conceptual Founda- tions of Science. His research interests focus on evolutionary theo- retical biology, with emphasis on the study of the common principles behind the great evolutionary transitions, such as the origin of life, the first appearance of cells, rise of animal societies, and the devel- opment of human language. Along with John Maynard Smith, he wrote The Major Transitions in Evolution, a book which influenced a whole generation of scientists interested in the fascinating field of evolution. Since this congress results from an interest in revisiting the great transitions, his presence will be of the utmost importance throughout the event. He will integrate all information on the eval- uated topics considered in the meeting and will offer perspectives on the study of the great transitions.

José F. F. Mendes

Universidad de Aveiro

Department of Physics

Prpfessor pf physics. His research has focused on studying the properties of complex networks. Ar a result of his work, he published the book Evolution of Networks: from biological nets to the Inter- net and WWW (2003), which has been extensively cited. Mendes has received several awards, including the Gulbenkian Science Prize 2004. He also has been named member of the European Academy and of the Portuguese Society of Physics. He will discuss the Evo- lution of Information Processing from the cell to the internet.

Antonio E. Lazcano Araujo

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Department of Evolutionary Biology

Evolutionary biology professor. His research interests are focused on the origin of life, and he is considered to be a pioneer in the study of this field in Mexico. Dr. Lazcanos work has had a profound im- pact in the development of biological sciences. His reputation has led him to gain great international recognition, including being named by NASA honorary Director of the Lynn Margulis Institute, in the Galapagos Islands. He also served two terms as President of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life. His contri- bution to the congress will consist mainly on the discussion regarding the theories around the Origin of Life and Prebiotic Chemistry.

Robert Berwick

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Professor of Computational Linguistics and Learning Theory. Dr. Berwick and his research group investigate computational models of language acquisition, processing, and change, within the context of machine learning, modern grammatical theory, and mathemati- cal models of dynamical systems. Under the joint direction of Dr. Noam Chomsky and Dr. Marvin Minsky, implemented the first modern computer program to learn language. He has been hon- ored with a Guggenheim Fellowship as well as MITs highest award given to faculty for exceptional research and teaching. Co-director of MITs Center for Biological and Computational Learning. Pro- fessor Berwick will undoubtedly have an impact of importance in the meeting, as he will review the implications of the Origin and Evolution of Language.

Evelyn Fox Keller

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Program in Science, Technology, and Society

Emeritus Professor of History and Philosophy of Science. She works on history and philosophy of modern biology, as well as on gender and science. Also, Fox Keller has authored several books, such as The Century of the Gene (2000) and Making Sense of Life: Explaining Biological Development with Models, Metaphors and Ma- chines (2002). She has been awarded with several honors, including her becoming a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sci- ences. She will focus on reviewing the Definition of Life during the congress.

Luis Delaye Arredondo

Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados

Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory

Researcher at Cinvestavs Irapuato Unit. His work emphasizes on the origin and evolution of new genes, reduced genomes, early evolution of life and horizontal gene transfer. Delaye incorporates computational analyses to his evolutionary studies. His contribu- tion to the congress will consist of discussing the subject of the Last Universal Common Ancestor.

Bruce Alberts

University of California San Francisco

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Bruce Alberts is a prominent biochemist who is best known for his studies on proteic complexes which allow chromosome replica- tion as the cell divides. Alberts is also well known in academia for his contribution to scientific literature, as he is author of one of the main molecular biology references: Molecular Biology of the Cell. He was president of the National Academy of Sciences from 1991 to 2005, editor-in-chief of Science magazine and has been given the Vannebar Bush Award. He also has been named Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Alberts participation will focus on the discussion surrounding the Evolution of Biochemical Complexity.

Stuart West Oxford

University Zoology

Department

Professor of Evolutionary Biology. His research is mainly fo- cused on the evolution of societies in various organisms. His work has been subject of media attention and he has published numer- ous research articles in high impact journals, amongst them Nature, Science, PNAS and Current Biology. Also, he has earned the Philip Leverhulme Prize, the Scientific Medal from the London Zoological Society and Duke Universitys Rising Star award. His contribution will consist of discussing the Origin and Evolution of Societies.

Richard Michod

The University of Arizona

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Professor and head of Department. His laboratory studies evolu- tion of multicellularity and sex using volvocine green algae as models for individual evolutionary transitions. Michod uses a wide array of methods, ranging from evolutionary population biology to philos- ophy, including genomics and ecology. He has received important grants from institutions like NASA. His contribution to the meeting will focus on discussing the Origin of Sex and Multicellularity.

Simonetta Gribaldo

Institut Pasteur

Molecular Biology of Extremophile Genes Unit

Researcher on microorganism phylogenies. Her work consists on tracing the emergence and evolution of structures and processes through the use of phylogenomic approaches. Her research aims to highlight the evolutionary links between the domains of life (Ar- chaea, Bacteria, Eukarya). Her contribution will consist in dis- cussing the Origin of Eukaryotic Organisms and Endosymbiosis.

Rosemary J. Redeld

University of British Columbia Life Sciences Centre

Professor of Genetics. Her work is centered on evolution, mechanisms and function of DNA intake in Haemophilus influenzae. Redeld is, nevertheless, better known for her implacable scientic rigour; in 2011, Nature magazine named her one of the "ten people who matter. This happened as a result of the professionalism with which she pointed out the multiple deciencies of a high prole publication. Her commitment to scientic accuracy is the reason why Redeld will have the role of discussion moderator throughout the meeting.

John Logsdon

University of Iowa

The Department of Biology

Associate Professor of Molecular Evolutionary Genetics. His re- search interests consist in studying the origin and evolution of meio- sis, sex and recombination. To this end, he and his team use com- parative molecular techniques. Through the analysis of genes in- volved in recombination and DNA repair he has determined their evolutionary history in several eukaryotic organisms. Logsdon will mainly discuss evidence on the Origin and Evolution of Sex.

Eric H. Davidson

California Institute of Technology

The Center for Computational Regulatory Genomics

Norman Chandler Professor of Cell Biology. Using sea urchin em- bryos, his laboratory takes advantage of a systems biology approach for understanding the evolution of regulatory networks controlling development. Davidson has dedicated most of his career to elu- cidate the processes of embryogenesis at the genetic level. He has been granted several honors, including the Alexander von Humboldt award, the Kowalevsky Medal and the International Biology Award. For the congress, he will discuss Evolution of Regulatory Networks throughout development.

Linda R. Manzanilla

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Institute for Anthropologic Research

Head researcher. Her work focuses on studying urban centers and States in Mesoamerica, the Andine Region, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, as well as domestic archaeology. She was the first mexican woman to become part of the United States National Academy of Sciences. Also, she has been awarded the Universidad Nacional prize, a Do- corate Honoris Causa from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and the Alfonso Caso prize for best archaeological research from the National Institute of Anthropology and History. Her con- ference will offer a historical and cultural approach to one of the most important prehispanic cultures in Mexico, Teotihuacan.

Shahragim Tajbakhsh

Institut Pasteur

Developmental and Stem Cells Biology

Professor and researcher at the Development and Stem Cell Unit. His research is based on understanding the processes which lead stem cells to self-renewal. He also works on elucidating mechanisms of skeletal muscle establishment during embryonic, fetal, and adult stages in mice. To this end, his group has developed unique genetic tools. His contribution will emphasize on discussing the Origin and Evolution of Gene Regulation and Animal Tissue Development.