Dr. Kate Wilsterman

Assistant Professor
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

When: Oct. 20th, at Noon

Where: Denver Campus, Science Building, Room 2001

Developmental and evolutionary

origins of reproductive adaptations to hypoxia

As the ultimate arbiters of fitness, reproduction and reproductive traits (contrasted here with performance and survival-related traits) are critical to persisting in novel environments. Nonetheless, few examples of adaptive evolution in reproductive traits in females have attempted to link genetic variation to reproductive physiology and function. My lab uses high elevation-adapted deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) as a model to investigate how reproductive traits evolve and adapt in response to environmental challenges. Hypoxia at high elevations leads to lower offspring birth weights and increased mortality across mammals, including in humans and deer mice. However, high elevation-adapted populations appear to be relatively protected from these adverse outcomes. In this talk, I will discuss multiple arms of our on-going work investigating the physiological and genetic basis of gestational adaptations in deer mice. 

Everyone is welcome to join the seminar.  Please contact Dr. Greg Ragland for more information