Objective
The trade-off between survival and reproduction lies at the core of the evolutionary theory of ageing. Removal of germ cells extends somatic lifespan implying that reduced reproduction frees up resources for survival. Remarkably, however, the disruption of germline signalling increases lifespan without the obligatory reduction in fecundity, thus challenging the key role of the survival-reproduction trade-off. Recent breakthroughs suggest that protection and repair of the genome and the proteome of the germ cells is costly and compromised germline maintenance increases mutation rate, which can reduce offspring fitness. Thus, expensive germline maintenance can be a missing link in the puzzle of cost-free lifespan extension. This hypothesis predicts that when germline signalling is manipulated to increase investment into somatic cells, the germline maintenance will suffer resulting in increased mutation rate and reduced offspring fitness, even if total fecundity is unaffected. I propose a research program at the interface of evolutionary biology and biogerontology that focuses on phenotypic and evolutionary costs of germline maintenance. First, I will genetically manipulate germline signalling to boost investment into soma and estimate mutation rate and competitive fitness of the resulting offspring using Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes. Second, I will employ experimental evolution in nematodes to assess the long-term evolutionary costs of increased germline maintenance. Third, I will use germline transplantation in zebrafish Dario rerio to directly test whether germline proliferation reduces investment into soma in a vertebrate. Understanding how increased investment into the soma damages the germline and reduces offspring fitness will provide a major advance in our understanding of ageing evolution and will have serious implications for applied research programs aimed at harnessing the power of germline signalling to postpone ageing.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences evolutionary biology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2016-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
NR4 7TJ NORWICH
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.