Evolutionary Immunogenomics Lab

About Evolutionary Immunogenomics Lab

Our History

Evilab, a young and dynamic research laboratory, was founded in 2023 under the pioneering leadership of Dr. Luis Zapata Ortiz, expert in the field of Evolutionary Immunogenomics. Our team specializes in mathematical modeling, evolutionary theory, population genetics, and computational biology, collectively positioning us at the forefront of research in these areas. Together, We are committed to advancing scientific knowledge and making significant contributions to the field.

Our Team

Our team of scientists, technicians, and support staff are passionate about their work and dedicated to provide profesional services. We believe in continuous learning and development to ensure we stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and techniques.

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News

Early Immune Selection in Premalignant Breast Tissue – Presented at Cell Symposia 2025

Sitges, Spain. November 2025
Claudio Salas from the Evolutionary Immunogenomics Lab presented a poster titled “Early Immune Selection Drives Divergent Immune Evasion in Premalignant Breast Tissue” at the Cell Symposium: The Cancer–Immunity Cycle, held in Sitges, Spain.

The study explores how immune selection shapes early breast tissue evolution before malignant transformation, using a multi-omic analysis of healthy, BRCA-mutated, and tumor samples from the EVOBREAST cohort. Integrating genomic, transcriptomic, and immunogenomic data, the work reveals early immune-mediated negative selection, spatial heterogeneity in T-cell infiltration, and gradual transcriptional transitions from healthy to tumor-like states in BRCA-mutated tissues.

“Our results suggest that immune selection begins acting long before tumor formation, shaping the evolutionary trajectories that later define immune-resistant cancers,” said Claudio Salas.

This presentation highlights the ongoing work of the Centre for Cancer Evolution to understand how immune-epithelial co-evolution contributes to cancer risk and resistance, paving the way for preventive and early-intervention strategies.

2nd. Edition Summer Course: Mathematical Modelling and Cancer Evolution in Valparaiso

Master the art of mathematical modelling and data science in tumor evolution with this advanced course. Learn how to represent complex biological systems with mathematical models and analyze their long-term behavior. We’ll explore real-life examples of cell growth and interactions that shape our understanding of cancer.

Delve into the fundamental principles of cancer evolution and population genetics, and discover how mathematical models and evolutionary theory can be applied to real-world cancer patient data. In our hands-on sessions, you’ll develop numerical schemes for ordinary differential equations and uncover the secrets of stochastic branching processes in tumor-immune coevolution.

Through a unique blend of theoretical foundations and practical exercises, this course fosters active participation, collaboration, and critical thinking.

The course is aimed at final year undergraduate students, and master’s and doctoral students.

Organized by The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) of the University of Chile

Venue: Instituto de Sistemas Complejos de Valparaiso

Date: Jan 5th - 10th 2025