I received my PhD in biological anthropology from Harvard University. Currently I work at the Institute of Public Health at the Jagiellonian University and I am involved in developing human evolutionary ecology and evolutionary public health in Poland. I head the Human Reproductive and Evolutionary Ecology group and the Mogielica Human Ecology Study Site. I was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and hold a position of Senior Research Scientist at the Department of Anthropology at Yale University.
My research interests include human reproductive ecology and evolutionary approaches to human health. Together with my colleagues I am working on identifying factors that have an impact on ovarian function. Knowledge of such factors is important to understanding evolutionary aspects of human fertility and has practical implications for disease prevention. I am also interested in aging in relation to reproductive effort and in my current projects I investigate physiological and genetic trade-offs between fertility, health, and lifespan. I discuss many of my ideas and research findings in a recent book “The Fragile Wisdom: An Evolutionary View on Women’s Biology and Health” (Harvard University Press, 2013).
Contact: jasienska@post.harvard.edu
Talk on costs of reproduction
Talk on hormones, fertility and breast cancer
Publications
Books
Jasienska G, Sherry DS, Holmes DJ (eds), The Arc of Life. Evolution and Health Across the Life Course (Springer-Verlag, New York, 2016)
Jasienska G. The Fragile Wisdom: An Evolutionary View on Women’s Biology and Health, (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2013)
Please read reviews for the book.
Peer reviewed publications
Ziomkiewicz A, Wichary S, Jasienska G. Cognitive costs of reproduction: life history trade-offs explain cognitive decline during pregnancy in women. Biological Reviews (in press)
Klein LD, Huang J, Quinn EA, Martin M, Breakey M, Gurven M, Kaplan H, Valeggia C, Jasienska G, Scelza B, Lebrilla C, Hinde K. Variation among populations in the immune protein composition of mother’s milk reflects subsistence pattern. Evolution, Medicine and Public Health (in press)
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). 2018. Contributions of mean and shape of blood pressure distribution to worldwide trends and variations in raised blood pressure: a pooled analysis of 1018 population-based studies with 88.6 million participants. International Journal of Epidemiology 47: 872-883i
Galbarczyk A, Klimek M, Nenko I, Jasienska G. 2018. Sons may be bad for maternal health at older age: New evidence for costs of reproduction in humans. The Journals of Gerontology Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, gly190, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/gly190
Marcinkowska UM, Kaminski G, Little AC, Jasienska G. 2018. Average ovarian hormone levels, rather than daily values and their fluctuations, are related to facial preferences among women. Hormones and Behavior 102: 114-119
Reynolds TA, Makhanova A, Marcinkowska UM, Jasienska G, McNulty JK, Eckel LA, Nikonova L, Maner JK. 2018. Progesterone and women’s anxiety across the menstrual cycle. Hormones and Behavior 102: 34-40
Kuna B, Galbarczyk A, Klimek M, Nenko I, Jasienska G. 2018. Age difference between parents influences parity and number of sons. American Journal of Human Biology: e23095
Richards G, Klimek M, Jasienska G, Marcinkowska UM. 2018. Digit ratio (2D:4D) and circulating testosterone, oestradiol, and progesterone levels across the menstrual cycle. Early Human Development 117: 68-73
Marcinkowska UM, Jasienska G, Prokop P. 2018. Long-term fertility and preferences: differences in masculinity preferences between naturally cycling, pregnant, lactating and post-menopausal women. Archives of Sexual Behavior 47: 1367-1374
Marcinkowska UM, Little AC, Galbarczyk A, Nenko I, Klimek M, Jasienska G. 2018. Costs of reproduction are reflected in women’s faces: post-menopausal women with fewer children are perceived as more attractive, healthier and younger than women with more children. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 165: 589-593
Marcinkowska UM, Galbarczyk A, Jasienska G. 2018. La donna è mobile? Lack of cyclical shifts in facial symmetry, and facial and body masculinity preferences – a hormone based study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 88: 47-53
2017
Dixson BJW, Lee AJ, Blake KR, Jasienska G, Marcinkowska UM. 2017. Women’s preferences for men’s beards do not change with fertility. Hormones and Behavior 78: 1-7
Klein L, Breakey AA, Scelza B, Valeggia C, Jasienska G, Hinde K. 2017. Concentrations of trace elements in human milk: comparisons among women in Argentina, Namibia, Poland, and the United States. PLoS ONE 12: e0183367
Jasienska G, Bribiescas RG, Furberg AS, Helle S, Núñez-de la Mora A. 2017. Human reproduction and health: an evolutionary perspective. Lancet 390: 510-520
Merklinger-Gruchala A, Jasienska G, Kapiszewska M. 2017. Effect of air pollution on menstrual cycle length – a prognostic factor of women’s reproductive health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14: DOI:10.3390/ijerph14070816
Klimek M, Marcinkowska UM, Jasienska G. 2017. Value of digit ratio 2D:4D, a biomarker of prenatal hormone exposure, is stable across the menstrual cycle. Early Human Development 110: 21-24
Holmes DJ & Jasienska G. 2017. Introduction: Evolutionary medicine and life history theory in G. Jasienska, D. S. Sherry, D. J. Holmes (eds) “The Arc of Life. Evolution and Health Across the Life Course” Springer-Verlag New York, p. 1-6
Jasienska G. 2017. Costs of reproduction, health, and life span in women in G. Jasienska, D. S. Sherry, D. J. Holmes (eds) “The Arc of Life. Evolution and Health Across the Life Course” Springer-Verlag New York, p. 159-176
Merklinger-Gruchala A, Jasienska G, Kapiszewska M. Parity conditions the risk for low birth weight after maternal exposure to air pollution. Biodemography and Social Biology 63: 71-86
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). 2017. Worldwide trends in blood pressure from 1975 to 2015: a pooled analysis of 1479 population-based measurement studies with 19·1 million participants. Lancet 389: 37-55
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) 2017. Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2416 population-based measurement studies in 128·9 million children, adolescents, and adults. Lancet 390: 2627-2642
2016
Fjeldheim FN, Frydenberg H, Flote VG, McTiernan A, Furberg AS, Ellison PT, Barrett ES, Wilsgaard T, Jasienska G, Ursin G, Wist EA, Thune I. 2016. Polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor alpha gene (ESR1), daily cycling estrogen and mammographic density phenotypes. BMC Cancer 16: 776
Klimek M, Galbarczyk A, Nenko I, Jasienska G. 2016. Women with more feminine digit ratio (2D:4D) have higher reproductive success. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 160: 549-553
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). 2016. A century of trends in adult human height. eLife 5: e13410
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). 2016. Trends in adult body-mass index in 200 countries from 1975 to 2014: a pooled analysis of 1698 population-based measurement studies with 19.2 million participants. Lancet 387: 1377-1396
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). 2016. Worldwide trends in diabetes since 1980: pooled analysis of 751 population-based measurement studies with over 4.4 million participants. Lancet 387: 1513-1530
Marcinkowska UM, Ellison PT, Galbarczyk A, Milkowska K, Pawlowski B, Thune I, Jasienska G. 2016. Lack of support for relation between woman’s masculinity preference, estradiol level and mating context. Hormones and Behavior 78: 1-7
Ziomkiewicz A, Sancilio A, Galbarczyk A, Klimek M, Jasienska G, Bribiescas RG. 2016. Evidence for the cost of reproduction in humans: women with high reproductive effort have higher levels of oxidative stress in post-reproductive years. PLoS ONE 11: e0145753
Iversen A, Frydenberg H, Furberg AS, Flote VG, Espetvedt Finstad S, McTiernan A, Ursin G, Wilsgaard T, Ellison PT, Jasienska G, Thune I. 2016. Cycling endogenous estrogen and progesterone vary by mammographic density phenotypes in premenopausal women. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 25: 9-18
2015
Frydenberg H, Flote VG, Larsson IM, Barrett ES, Furberg AS, Ursin G, Wilsgaard T, Ellison PT, McTiernan A, Hjartåker A, Jasienska G, Thune I. 2015. Alcohol consumption, endogenous estrogen and mammographic density among premenopausal women. Breast Cancer Research 17: 103
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC). 2015. Effects of diabetes definition on global surveillance of diabetes prevalence and diagnosis: a pooled analysis of 96 population-based studies with 331 288 participants. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology 3: 624-637
Alvarado LC, Muller MN, Thompson ME, Klimek M, Nenko I, Jasienska G. 2015. The Paternal Provisioning Hypothesis: effects of workload and testosterone production on men’s musculature. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 158: 19-35
Merklinger-Gruchala A, Jasienska G, Kapiszewska M. 2015. Short interpregnancy interval and low birth weight: a role of parity. American Journal of Human Biology 27: 660-666
Klimek M, Galbarczyk A, Colleran H, Thune I, Ellison PT, Ziomkiewicz A, Jasienska G. 2015. Digit ratio (2D:4D) does not correlate with daily 17β–estradiol and progesterone concentrations in healthy women of reproductive age. American Journal of Human Biology 27: 667-673
Puskarczyk K, Galbarczyk A, Klimek M, Nenko I, Odrzywołek L, Jasienska G. 2015. Being born after your brother is not a disadvantage: Reproductive success does not depend on the sex of the preceding sibling. American Journal of Human Biology 27: 731-773
Colleran H, Jasienska G, Nenko I, Galbarczyk A, Mace R. 2015. Fertility decline and the changing dynamics of wealth, status and inequality. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 282: 20150287
Jasienska G, Ellison PT, Galbarczyk A, Jasienski M, Kalemba-Drozdz M, Kapiszewska M, Nenko I, Thune I, Ziomkiewicz A. 2015. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphism is related to differences in potential fertility in women: a case of antagonistic pleiotropy? Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 282: 20142395
2014
The Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases Collaboration. 2014. Cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes mortality burden of cardiometabolic risk factors from 1980 to 2010: a comparative risk assessment. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology 2: 634-647
Jasienski M & Jasienska G. 2014. Nature-nurture interaction is ubiquitous, essential, but elusive. Current Anthropology 55: 541-542
Klimek M, Galbarczyk A, Nenko I, Alvarado LC, Jasienska G. 2014. Digit ratio (2D:4D) as an indicator of body size, testosterone concentration and number of children in human males. Annals of Human Biology 41: 518-523
Colleran H, Jasienska G, Nenko I, Galbarczyk A, Mace R. 2014. Community level education accelerates the cultural evolution of fertility decline. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 281: 20132732
Galbarczyk A & Jasienska G. 2013. Timing of natural menopause covaries with timing of birth of a first daughter: evidence for a mother-daughter evolutionary contract? HOMO-Journal of Comparative Human Biology 64: 228-232
Clancy KBH, Klein LD, Ziomkiewicz A, Nenko I, Jasienska G, Bribiescas RG. 2013. Relationships between biomarkers of inflammation, ovarian steroids, and age at menarche in a rural Polish sample. American Journal of Human Biology25: 389-398
Danaei G. et al (Jasienska G: member of Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors of Chronic Diseases Collaborating Group). 2013. The global cardiovascular risk transition: associations of four metabolic risk factors with national income, urbanization, and western diet in 1980 and 2008. Circulation 127: 1493-1502
Kapiszewska M, Merklinger-Gruchala A, Jasienska G. 2013. The modulating influence of tea polyphenols on estrogen metabolism in Asian and Caucasian Populations: Breast cancer prevention. in: Tea in Health and Disease Prevention, V. Preedy (ed) Academic Press, London UK, 551-562
Torris C, Thune I, Emaus A, Finstad SE, Bye A, Furberg AS, Barrett ES, Jasienska G, Ellison PT, Hjartåker A. 2013. Duration of lactation, maternal metabolic profile and body composition in the Norwegian EBBA I-study. Breastfeeding Medicine 8: 8-15
Nenko I & Jasienska G. 2013. First birth interval, an indicator of energetic status, is a predictor of reproductive strategy. American Journal of Human Biology 25: 78-82
Barrett ES, Tran V, Thurston S, Jasienska G, Furberg AS, Ellison PT, Thune I. 2013. Marriage and motherhood are associated with lower testosterone concentrations in women. Hormones and Behavior 63: 72-79
2012
Ziomkiewicz A, Pawlowski B, Ellison PT, Lipson SF, Thune I, Jasienska G. 2012. Higher luteal progesterone is associated with low levels of premenstrual aggressive behavior and fatigue. Biological Psychology 91: 376-382
Jasienska G, Jasienski M, Ellison PT. 2012. Testosterone levels correlate with the number of children in human males, but the direction of the relationship depends on paternal education. Evolution and Human Behavior 33: 665-671
Ziomkiewicz A, Wichary S, Bochenek D, Pawlowski B, Jasienska G. 2012. Temperament and ovarian reproductive hormones in women: evidence from a study during the entire menstrual cycle. Hormones and Behavior 61: 535-540
Iversen A, Thune I, Makar KW, Wilsgaard T, Ellison PT, Jasienska G, Flote V, Poole EM, Furberg AS. 2012. Genetic polymorphism CYP17 rs2486758 and metabolic risk factors predict daily salivary 17-beta estradiol concentrations in healthy premenopausal Norwegian women. The EBBA-I Study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 97: E852-857
Lima-Pereira P, Bermudez-Tamayo C, Jasienska G. 2012. Use of the Internet as a source of health information amongst participants of antenatal classes. Journal of Clinical Nursing 21: 322-330
Stevens GA, Singh GM, Lu Y, Danaei G, Lin JK, Finucane MM, Bahalim AN, McIntire RK, Gutierrez HR, Cowan M, Paciorek CJ, Farzadfar F, Riley L, Ezzati M and the Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors of Chronic Diseases Collaborating Group (Jasienska G: member of Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors of Chronic Diseases Collaborating Group). 2012. National, regional, and global trends in adult overweight and obesity prevalences. Population Health Metrics 10: 22
2011
Finucane MM et al (Jasienska G: member of Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors of Chronic Diseases Collaborating Group). 2011. National, regional, and global trends in body-mass index since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 960 country-years and 91 million participants. Lancet 377: 557-567
Jasienska G. 2011. Ecological and evolutionary determinants of variation in levels of ovarian hormones. in: Environment and hormone (im)balance in women. Reasons for variation in the concentration of sex hormones. Oficyna Wydawnicza AFM, Kraków, Vol. I: 27-40 (in Polish)
Nenko I & Jasienska G. 2011. Costs of reproduction in relation to women health and lifespan. in: Environment and hormone (im)balance in women. Reasons for variation in the concentration of sex hormones. Oficyna Wydawnicza AFM, Kraków, Vol. I: 105-118 (in polish)
Merklinger-Gruchala A & Jasienska G. 2011. Diet and levels of reproductive hormones (estrogens and progesterone) in women of reproductive age. in: Environment and hormone (im)balance in women. Reasons for variation in the concentration of sex hormones. Implications for risk of breast cancer 119-136 (in Polish)
Iversen A, Thune I, McTiernan A, Emaus A, Finstad SE, Flote V, Wilsgaard T, Lipson SF, Ellison PT, Jasienska G, Furberg AS. 2011. Ovarian hormones and reproductive risk factors for breast cancer in premenopausal women: the Norwegian EBBA-I study. Human Reproduction 26: 1519-1529
2010
Suseł A & Jasienska G. 2010. Determinants of female fertility in the United States: Review of current literature. Zeszyty Naukowe Ochrony Zdrowia. Zdrowie Publiczne i Zarzadzanie VIII, 2: 101-108 (in Polish)
Jasienska G. 2010. Why Women Differ in Ovarian Function: Genetic Polymorphism, Developmental Conditions, and Adult Lifestyle in: Human Evolutionary Biology, Michael Muehlenbein (ed). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge p. 322-337
2009
Finstad SE, Emaus A, Tretli S, Jasienska G, Ellison PT, Furberg AS, Wist E, Thune I. 2009. Adult height, insulin, and 17-beta estradiol in young women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 18: 1477-1483
Nenko I & Jasienska G. 2009. Relationship between fertility and body size and shape: An empirical test of the Covert Maternal Depletion Syndrome hypothesis. American Journal of Human Biology 21: 520-523
Clancy KBH, Ellison PT, Jasienska G, Bribiescas RG. 2009. Endometrial thickness is not independent of luteal phase length in a rural Polish population. Anthropological Science 117: 159-163
Jasienska G. 2009. Reproduction and lifespan: trade-offs, overall energy budgets, intergenerational costs, and costs neglected by research. American Journal of Human Biology 21: 524-532
Finstad SE, Emaus A, Potischman N, Barrett E, Furberg AS, Ellison PT, Jasienska G, Thune I. 2009. Influence of birth weight and adult body composition on 17-beta estradiol levels in young women. Cancer Causes and Control 20: 233-242
Jasienska G. 2009. Low birth weight of contemporary African Americans: an intergenerational effect of slavery? American Journal of Human Biology 21: 16-24
Ellison PT & Jasienska G. 2009. Adaptation, Health, and the Temporal Domain of Human Reproductive Physiology in: Panter-Brick C. and Fuentes A. (eds). Health, Risk and Adversity: A Contextual View from Anthropology, Berghahn Books, New York, p. 108-128
2008
Merklinger-Gruchala A, Ellison PT, Lipson SF, Thune I, Jasienska G. 2008. Estradiol levels in women of reproductive age having low sleep variation. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 17: 467-472
Ziomkiewicz A, Ellison PT, Lipson SF, Thune I, Jasienska G. 2008. Body fat, energy balance and estradiol levels: a study based on hormonal profiles from complete menstrual cycles. Human Reproduction 23: 2555-2563
Jasienska G & Ellison PT. 2008. Analyses do not support CYP17 genotype-estradiol associations • In response. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 17: 1550
Emaus A, Veierød MB, Furberg AS, Espetvedt S, Friedenreich C, Ellison PT, Jasienska G, Andersen LB, Thune I. 2008. Physical activity, heart rate, metabolic profile and estradiol in premenopausal women. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 40: 1024-1032
Emaus A, Espetvedt S, Ballard-Barbash R, Furberg AS, Ellison PT, Jasienska G, Veierod MB, Hjartaaker A, Thune I. 2008. 17- b -Estradiol in relation to age at menarche and adult obesity in premenopausal women. Human Reproduction 23: 919-927
Pawlowski B & Jasienska G. 2008. Women’s body morphology and preferences for sexual partners’ characteristics. Evolution & Human Behavior 29: 19-25
Jasienska G & Jasienski M. 2008. Inter-population, inter-individual, inter-cycle, and intra-cycle natural variation in progesterone levels: a quantitative assessment and implications for population studies. American Journal of Human Biology 20: 35-42
2007
Ellison PT, Lipson SF, Jasienska G, Ellison PL. 2007. Moderate anxiety, whether acute or chronic, is not associated with ovarian suppression in healthy women. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 134: 513-519
Ellison PT & Jasienska G. 2007. Constraint, pathology and adaptation: how can we tell them apart? American Journal of Human Biology 19: 622-630
2006
Jasienska G, Kapiszewska M, Ellison PT, Kalemba M, Nenko I, Thune I, Ziomkiewicz A. 2006. CYP17 genotypes differ in salivary 17-ß estradiol levels: a study based on hormonal profiles from entire menstrual cycles. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 15: 2131-2135
Jasienska G, Thune I, Ellison PT. 2006. Fatness at birth predicts adult susceptibility to ovarian suppression: an empirical test of the “Predictive Adaptive Response” hypothesis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 34: 12759-62
Clancy KBH, Nenko I, Jasienska G. 2006. Menstruation Does Not Cause Anemia: Endometrial Thickness Correlates Positively with Erythrocyte Count and Hemoglobin Concentration in Premenopausal Women. American Journal of Human Biology 18: 710-713
Jasienska G, Nenko I, Jasienski M. 2006. Daughters Increase Longevity of Fathers, but Daughters and Sons Equally Reduce Longevity of Mothers. American Journal of Human Biology 18: 422-425
Jasienska G, Lipson SF, Ellison PT, Thune I, Ziomkiewicz A. 2006. Symmetrical women have higher potential fertility. Evolution & Human Behavior 27: 390-400
Jasienska G, Ziomkiewicz A, Thune I, Lipson SF, Ellison PT. 2006. Habitual physical activity and estradiol levels in women of reproductive age. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 15: 439-445
Kapiszewska M, Miskiewicz M, Ellison PT, Thune I, Jasienska G. 2006. High tea consumption diminishes the salivary 17b-estradiol concentration. British Journal of Nutrition 95: 989-995
Jasienska G, Ziomkiewicz A, Lipson SF, Thune I, Ellison PT. 2006. High ponderal index at birth predicts high estradiol levels in adult women. American Journal of Human Biology 18: 133-140
2005
Jasienska G, Ziomkiewicz A, Górkiewicz M, Pajak A. 2005. Body mass, depressive symptoms and menopausal status: an examination of the “Jolly Fat” hypothesis”. Women’s Health Issues 15: 145-151
Pawlowski B & Jasienska G. 2005. Woman’s preferences for sexual dimorphism in height depend on menstrual cycle phase and expected duration of relationship. Biological Psychology 70: 38-43
Furberg AS, Jasienska G, Bjurstam N, Torjesen PA, Emaus A, Lipson SF, Ellison PT, Thune I. 2005. Metabolic and hormonal profiles: HDL cholesterol as a plausible biomarker of breast cancer risk. The Norwegian EBBA study. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 14: 33-40
2004 and older
Jasienska G & Ellison PT. 2004. Energetic factors and seasonal changes in ovarian function in women from rural Poland. American Journal of Human Biology 16: 563-580
Jasienska G, Ziomkiewicz A, Ellison PT, Lipson SF, Thune I. 2004. Large breasts and narrow waists indicate high reproductive potential in women. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 271: 1213-1217
Jasienska G. 2003. Energy metabolism and the evolution of reproductive suppression in human female. Acta Biotheoretica 51: 1-18
Jasienska G. 2001. Why energy expenditure causes reproductive suppression in women: an evolutionary and bioenergetic perspective” in: Ellison PT (ed.) Reproductive Ecology and Human Evolution (Aldine, Chicago)
Jasienska G & Thune I. 2001. Lifestyle, progesterone and breast cancer. British Medical Journal 323: 1002
Jasienska G & Thune I. 2001. Lifestyle, hormones, and risk of breast cancer. British Medical Journal 322: 586-587
Jasienska G, Thune I, Ellison PT. 2000. Energetic factors, ovarian steroids and the risk of breast cancer. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 9: 231-239
Jasienska G & Ellison PT. 1998. Physical work causes suppression of ovarian function in women. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 265: 1847-1851alvarado-et-al-2015.pdf
Human Evolutionary and Reproductive Ecology 