Ben Trumble

Ben Trumble is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University's School of Human Evolution and Social Change, with affiliations at the Institute of Human Origins and the Center for Evolution and Medicine. His research integrates evolutionary perspectives to study aging, chronic diseases, and human health disparities, focusing on populations like the Tsimane and Turkana with low rates of modern chronic illnesses. He examines how genes, hormones, and the immune system interact with lifestyle factors to influence disease risk. His work emphasizes field studies and lab-based analyses to understand global health variations, particularly in non-WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) societies.

Trumble’s research explores evolutionary mismatch theories, linking ancestral adaptations to contemporary health challenges. He investigates how subsistence strategies, infection patterns, and social structures shape physiological resilience. Key topics include testosterone’s role in cardiovascular health, inflammation’s dual impacts on organ systems, and the cognitive benefits of traditional lifestyles. His lab also addresses global health issues like dental health’s systemic effects and the socioecological drivers of well-being.

Collaborations include studies on parasitic infections’ immunological effects, pregnancy’s immune trade-offs, and the exposome’s influence on aging. His work bridges anthropology, medicine, and biology, aiming to translate evolutionary insights into public health strategies for both industrialized and indigenous populations.