Objective Early-life stress can reduce the lifespan of individuals and recent work shows that this lifespan reduction can be transmitted to reproductive partners. However, the mechanisms that allow early-life stress to damage the health of individuals that did not experience early-life stress themselves have been little studied. The overall aim of this proposal is to examine how the negative effects of early-life stress on longevity are transmitted to social partners, with focus on the neuroendocrine hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The research objectives are: 1) To determine whether partners become hormonally and behaviourally similar to early-life stressed individuals; 2) To determine whether early-life stressed individuals adversely affect the health of their reproductive partners by ineffectively buffering their partners against stress; 3) To examine whether being paired to a partner that has experienced early life stress influences immune function, oxidative stress, and telomere loss.The experienced researcher will be trained by the host in adopting a life history approach to early-life stress and parental care and learn new skills in several areas of physiology and molecular biology to carry out these objectives. She will be trained to combine studies at different biological levels ranging from the molecular to the individual. This training will enhance the experienced researcher’s knowledge in different biological domains and greatly enhance her chances of starting her own independent research group in the EU. Fields of science humanitieshistory and archaeologyhistorymedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biology Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW Net EU contribution € 183 454,80 Address UNIVERSITY AVENUE G12 8QQ Glasgow United Kingdom See on map Region Scotland West Central Scotland Glasgow City Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 183 454,80