The LSI Seminar Series: Prof. Nina Wedell (Univ. Exeter, Penryn Campus)
Sex, conflict and selfish genes
The LSI is the scientific home for an integrated team of researchers with complementary expertise, creating a dynamic and inspiring hub for disease-related research. This seminar series embodies our commitment to excellence in interdisciplinary research and clear communication. The speakers research in fields ranging from mathematics to evolution, from biophysics to clinical medicine, while addressing all researchers with their equally broad backgrounds. Our goal is to dissolve boundaries and spark engaging conversation in an informal setting.
| A Living Systems Institute seminar | |
|---|---|
| Date | 17 January 2018 |
| Time | 15:30 to 16:30 |
| Place | LSI Seminar Room A All are welcome. Access to LSI will be granted to those wishing to attend this seminar. |
Event details
Professor Nina Wedell
(University of Exeter, Penryn campus)
Prof. Nina Wedell is an evolutionary biologist at the University of Exeter. Her research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of sex, a topic she will talk about in the January 2018 LSI Seminar:
Selfish Genetic Elements (SGEs) are genes, organelles or microorganisms present within the genome or cell of an organism that spread by subverting normal patterns of inheritance to increase their representation in the next generation; hence the term ‘selfish’. SGEs such as endosymbionts, transposable elements, and meiotic drive genes are ubiquitous in living organisms and are often associated with fitness costs to the bearer. Despite their dramatic ability to manipulate host reproduction and frequent reduction in male fertility, the impact on mating systems and sexual selection remains little explored. Prof. Wedell will discuss how SGEs may shape insect mating systems by affecting sexual selection, and sexual conflict. In particular, she will discuss the impact of SGEs with sex specific effects, exemplified by recent work on DDT resistance in flies caused by a transposable element.
Location:
LSI Seminar Room A
