Biomarkers of senescence in the Seychelles warbler (RICHARDSON_U17DTP)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Graduate Office
Abstract
That individuals differ greatly in when, and how quickly, they senesce is clear - why they differ is not. Understanding what causes variation in senescence and, therefore, how this can be mitigated is of medical, veterinary and societal importance. Unfortunately, in most vertebrate animals measuring within-individual senescence, and what factors experienced over a lifetime impact it, is extremely difficult.
The student will use the Seychelles warbler system to test the efficiency of a range of traits that have been suggested to reflect an individual's intrinsic condition and measure, or predict, within-individual senescence. The ability of these 'biomarkers' to determine which environmental factors have most impact on patterns of senescence will then be tested. Previous work in this species has shown that senescence occurs, and that telomere dynamics do, to some extent, reflect biological ageing. However various other potential biomarkers have yet to be tested.
The student will use the Seychelles warbler system to test the efficiency of a range of traits that have been suggested to reflect an individual's intrinsic condition and measure, or predict, within-individual senescence. The ability of these 'biomarkers' to determine which environmental factors have most impact on patterns of senescence will then be tested. Previous work in this species has shown that senescence occurs, and that telomere dynamics do, to some extent, reflect biological ageing. However various other potential biomarkers have yet to be tested.
Publications
Brown TJ
(2022)
Seychelles warblers with silver spoons: Juvenile body mass is a lifelong predictor of annual survival, but not annual reproduction or senescence.
in Ecology and evolution
Brown TJ
(2022)
Causes and consequences of telomere lengthening in a wild vertebrate population.
in Molecular ecology
Brown TJ
(2021)
Hematocrit, age, and survival in a wild vertebrate population.
in Ecology and evolution
| Description | - Explored associations between hematocrit, age, survival in our study study system. We found that hematocrit fluctuates with age, and is a marker of survival prospects in young individuals, which contributes to our understanding of physiological changes with age in the wild populations. - Telomere length is a hugely important biomarker of biological age, yet the causes and consequences of telomere lengthening are largely unknown. In our system, we found that beneficial life-history factors and increased survival are associated with telomere lengthening, which is a novel finding that questions the usefulness of telomere length as a marker of biological age. - Early-life conditions influence adult phenotypes, but how they influence ageing and senescence in wild populations is largely unknown. We found that juvenile body mass (a marker of early-life conditions) is associated with longevity (i.e. age-at-death) but not the rate of ageing. |
| Exploitation Route | outcomes can be used to assess biological age, and the drivers of senescence, of wild populations, which has wide applications in ecology and evolutionary fields |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Other |
| URL | https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.161408541.15345829 |
| Description | Diversity in Telomeres group |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | on organising body for the Diversity in Telomeres group - contributing to symposia, workshops and journal special issues to generate growth and understanding in this field |
| Collaborator Contribution | on organising body for the Diversity in Telomeres group - contributing to symposia, workshops and journal special issues to generate growth and understanding in this field |
| Impact | annual diversity in telomeres conference special issue of Philosophical transactions of the london society Journal |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Diversity in Telomeres group |
| Organisation | University of Glasgow |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | on organising body for the Diversity in Telomeres group - contributing to symposia, workshops and journal special issues to generate growth and understanding in this field |
| Collaborator Contribution | on organising body for the Diversity in Telomeres group - contributing to symposia, workshops and journal special issues to generate growth and understanding in this field |
| Impact | annual diversity in telomeres conference special issue of Philosophical transactions of the london society Journal |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Diversity in Telomeres group |
| Organisation | University of Groningen |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | on organising body for the Diversity in Telomeres group - contributing to symposia, workshops and journal special issues to generate growth and understanding in this field |
| Collaborator Contribution | on organising body for the Diversity in Telomeres group - contributing to symposia, workshops and journal special issues to generate growth and understanding in this field |
| Impact | annual diversity in telomeres conference special issue of Philosophical transactions of the london society Journal |
| Start Year | 2015 |