Aging Differently: Understanding Sex Differences in Reproductive, Demographic and Functional Senescence

Cel

Sex differences in life span and aging are ubiquitous across the animal kingdom and represent a
long-standing challenge in evolutionary biology. In most species, including humans, sexes differ not
only in how long they live and when they start to senesce, but also in how they react to
environmental interventions aimed at prolonging their life span or decelerating the onset of aging.
Therefore, sex differences in life span and aging have important implications beyond the questions
posed by fundamental science. Both evolutionary reasons and medical implications of sex
differences in demographic, reproductive and physiological senescence are and will be crucial
targets of present and future research in the biology of aging. Here I propose a two-step approach
that can provide a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the biological basis of sex
differences in aging. First, I propose to resolve the age-old conundrum regarding the role of sexspecific
mortality rate in sex differences in aging by developing a series of targeted experimental
evolution studies in a novel model organism – the nematode, Caenorhabditis remanei. Second, I
address the role of intra-locus sexual conflict in the evolution of aging by combining novel
methodology from nutritional ecology – the Geometric Framework – with artificial selection
approach using the cricket Teleogryllus commodus and the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. I will
directly test the hypothesis that intra-locus sexual conflict mediates aging by restricting the
adaptive evolution of diet choice. By combining techniques from evolutionary biology and
nutritional ecology, this proposal will raise EU’s profile in integrative research, and contribute to
the training of young scientists in this rapidly developing field.

Dziedzina nauki

System finansowania

ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant

Instytucja przyjmująca

UPPSALA UNIVERSITET

Wkład UE

€ 1 391 904,00

Adres

VON KRAEMERS ALLE 4
751 05 Uppsala
Szwecja

Region

Östra Sverige Östra Mellansverige Uppsala län

Rodzaj działalności

Higher or Secondary Education Establishments

Kontakt administracyjny

Karin Olsson (Ms.)

Kierownik naukowy

Alexei Maklakov (Dr.)

Linki

Kontakt z organizacją Strona internetowa

Koszt całkowity

Brak danych

Beneficjenci (1)