The most well-known life-history trade-off involves the survival cost of reproduction – reproduction (e.g., fertility, number of eggs) is commonly ‘costly’ in terms of future survival (i.e., longevity), so that we often observe a negative correlation between fertility and longevity.
At the heart of this trade-off is stem cell capacity – while stem cell maintenance is crucial for longevity (e.g., for tissue regeneration to repair damage), stem cell differentiation is required for fertility (i.e., to produce gametes). However, the role of stem cell capacity in life-history trade-off has not been investigated.
In this project, we will manipulate stem cell capacity in Drosophila melanogaster flies by controlling their oxygen-sensing conditions (e.g., by keeping them under different oxygen concentrations or by using transgenic flies), and we will investigate whether and how fertility, longevity, and (potentially) tissue repair differ between flies with high or low stem cell capacity.
What you will learn: You will learn about life-history evolution and molecular cell biology. You will gain experience on fly maintenance, animal crossing, fitness assays, and molecular biology techniques (optional; if time allows and if you are interested).
Duration: 45-60 credits
Starting date: flexible
Required qualifications: Strong interests in life-history evolution and molecular cell biology. Can handle small insects and work in a lab setting (or willing to learn). No other specific experience required.
Contact:
Hwei-yen Chen, hwei-yen.chen@biol.lu.se
Emma Hammarlund, emma.hammarlund@med.lu.se