Overview
- Comparative analyses across primates highlighted 94 genes activated after heat injury, with at least 9–19 showing signs of accelerated evolution in humans.
- Proposed adaptations include faster inflammatory responses, quicker wound closure, and heightened pain signaling that improve survival after small to moderate burns.
- The authors outline trade-offs for severe burns, citing risks such as extreme inflammation, extensive scarring, and organ failure.
- Researchers emphasize that humans uniquely live alongside fire and commonly sustain minor burns throughout life, a culturally driven exposure not seen in other species.
- The interdisciplinary team from Imperial College London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Queen Mary University of London calls for functional studies, population surveys, and translational research to inform burn care and address limits of animal models.