Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101853
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$356,000.00
Summary
One genome but two sexes: Conflict and the evolution of sexual dimorphism. How can males and females display striking sex differences, when they primarily share the same set of genes? By experimentally evolving the degree of sexual dimorphism in Drosophila melanogaster, this project endeavours to address key issues at the heart of evolutionary biology. This project aims to deliver a novel, data-rich resource with which to explore the mechanisms and consequences of sexual dimorphism evolution, to ....One genome but two sexes: Conflict and the evolution of sexual dimorphism. How can males and females display striking sex differences, when they primarily share the same set of genes? By experimentally evolving the degree of sexual dimorphism in Drosophila melanogaster, this project endeavours to address key issues at the heart of evolutionary biology. This project aims to deliver a novel, data-rich resource with which to explore the mechanisms and consequences of sexual dimorphism evolution, to expand current understanding of this fundamental evolutionary paradox.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100831
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$416,670.00
Summary
The effects of mitochondrial genetic variation on physiology and behaviour. This project aims to test how mitochondrial DNA variation drives molecular, physiological, and behavioural differences between genders and among populations. This project, through the testing of a new hypothesis, expects to generate new knowledge to understand why males and females differ consistently in key health-related traits like longevity. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new discoveries that deli ....The effects of mitochondrial genetic variation on physiology and behaviour. This project aims to test how mitochondrial DNA variation drives molecular, physiological, and behavioural differences between genders and among populations. This project, through the testing of a new hypothesis, expects to generate new knowledge to understand why males and females differ consistently in key health-related traits like longevity. The expected outcomes of this project will provide new discoveries that deliver fundamental insights into the genetics of gender differences, with benefits that extend into the biomedical sciences. The project is also expected to enhance the international profile of Australian science through cutting-edge research in evolutionary genetics.Read moreRead less
The oxygen paradox and the evolution of sex differences. Free radicals are reactive molecules linked to the onset of ageing, cancers and infertility. By advancing an emerging paradigm that contends that 'free radicals' are important drivers of evolutionary change, this project will lead the field and provide an excellent platform on which to train students to the highest standards.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101075
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,837.00
Summary
Ecophysiology and evolution of sleep and adaptive sleeplessness. The function of sleep is enigmatic, even though the treatment of costly sleep disorders requires an understanding of the function that sleep performs. This project approaches this enigma with the comprehensive study of sleep in diverse animals to examine ecological-induced plasticity and evolution of sleep. Using innovative technologies in real-world situations, this project will spearhead the study of sleep ecophysiology to identi ....Ecophysiology and evolution of sleep and adaptive sleeplessness. The function of sleep is enigmatic, even though the treatment of costly sleep disorders requires an understanding of the function that sleep performs. This project approaches this enigma with the comprehensive study of sleep in diverse animals to examine ecological-induced plasticity and evolution of sleep. Using innovative technologies in real-world situations, this project will spearhead the study of sleep ecophysiology to identify animals that are resilient to the negative effects of sleep loss, and will determine whether the evolution of new types of animal was associated with the co-evolution of new types of sleep. The outcomes will have wide-ranging implications for our view of sleep function, prescriptions for an optimal amount of sleep and human health and wellbeing.Read moreRead less
Constrained or strategic? Causes and consequences of variation in self-maintenance in wild birds. To live long and healthy lives, animals must defend themselves from diseases and repair damage due to wear and tear. This project will address what prevents animals from achieving optimal defences, and what the consequences are for ageing and survival.
Linking sex-specific adaptation to the evolution of infectious disease. This project aims to examine how differences in the response of males and females to pathogen attack can influence the evolution of infectious disease. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of host-pathogen co-evolution, by integrating approaches from the fields of evolutionary genetics, sexual selection, and epidemiology. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capacity to build interdisciplinary collabor ....Linking sex-specific adaptation to the evolution of infectious disease. This project aims to examine how differences in the response of males and females to pathogen attack can influence the evolution of infectious disease. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of host-pathogen co-evolution, by integrating approaches from the fields of evolutionary genetics, sexual selection, and epidemiology. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capacity to build interdisciplinary collaborations and development of theory that predicts infection dynamics in any species with separate sexes. This is expected to provide significant benefits, such as improving our knowledge of why the sexes differ and potentially providing new avenues for understanding disease outbreaks and preventing population declines or extinctions.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100327
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$378,000.00
Summary
Does sex matter? The impact of sex differences on pathogen evolution. Males and females experience the burden of infection differently. Males are typically thought of as the 'sicker sex', favouring investment in costly sexual displays, at the expense of immune function. But what does this mean for the pathogen? Each sex presents a unique set of challenges that an invading organism must overcome; yet the impact of these differences on pathogen evolution has been surprisingly overlooked. This proj ....Does sex matter? The impact of sex differences on pathogen evolution. Males and females experience the burden of infection differently. Males are typically thought of as the 'sicker sex', favouring investment in costly sexual displays, at the expense of immune function. But what does this mean for the pathogen? Each sex presents a unique set of challenges that an invading organism must overcome; yet the impact of these differences on pathogen evolution has been surprisingly overlooked. This project aims to unravel how sex-specific challenges influence the outcome of pathogen evolution. This work will show how infection in males or females can alter the evolutionary potential of disease, and will ask whether same-sex populations could ever lead to the evolution of new pathogen strains and virulence genes.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of colour production and the evolution of animal signals. This project aims to reveal how diverse colours are produced in reptiles and the information these colours convey about individual health, condition and performance. The project evaluates how stress affects both pigment deposition and the nano-structure of cells and tissues, which together produce colour. By comparing similar colours generated by two entirely different classes of pigment (carotenoids and pteridines), this proje ....Mechanisms of colour production and the evolution of animal signals. This project aims to reveal how diverse colours are produced in reptiles and the information these colours convey about individual health, condition and performance. The project evaluates how stress affects both pigment deposition and the nano-structure of cells and tissues, which together produce colour. By comparing similar colours generated by two entirely different classes of pigment (carotenoids and pteridines), this project will provide new insights into the evolution of animal coloration, and will significantly enhance our understanding of pteridines, one of the most prevalent but least understood classes of pigment in vertebrates.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101193
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Testing models for sex evolution and maintenance. This project aims to study the evolution of sex. The short-term costs of sexual reproduction seem to outweigh its benefits, making its widespread success an evolutionary conundrum. The project will test high-profile models which predict higher rates of sex in individuals poorly adapted to their environment than in well adapted individuals. This process allows sex genes to escape from unfavourable genetic backgrounds and hastens local adaptation o ....Testing models for sex evolution and maintenance. This project aims to study the evolution of sex. The short-term costs of sexual reproduction seem to outweigh its benefits, making its widespread success an evolutionary conundrum. The project will test high-profile models which predict higher rates of sex in individuals poorly adapted to their environment than in well adapted individuals. This process allows sex genes to escape from unfavourable genetic backgrounds and hastens local adaptation of populations to their environment. This work is expected to discover the link between reproductive mode and adaptation, strengthen research into consequences of environmental change, and solve a long-standing puzzle of evolutionary biology.Read moreRead less
The sparrows in the mining towns: a century of adaptation to contamination. Our research will characterise how contamination from the extraction of precious metals can spread through the environment and how it effects a highly urbanised bird – the house sparrow. In many cases, populations of these birds have been intimately associated with mining operations for over a century, and our recent work has provided evidence of adaptation over time. House sparrows provide a great natural system to unde ....The sparrows in the mining towns: a century of adaptation to contamination. Our research will characterise how contamination from the extraction of precious metals can spread through the environment and how it effects a highly urbanised bird – the house sparrow. In many cases, populations of these birds have been intimately associated with mining operations for over a century, and our recent work has provided evidence of adaptation over time. House sparrows provide a great natural system to understand the genetic potential of organisms to adapt to anthropomorphic change in the environment connected with the resources industry. Our work, will bring new insight into the future management of environmental contamination, and the mitigation of adverse effects arising from resource extraction.Read moreRead less