Research interests in our group lay at the interface between physiology, ecology, and evolution. We broadly seek to uncover adjustments of physiology and energy metabolism underpinning animal life histories. We are particularly interested in studying the proximate factors underlying inter-individual variation on growth, reproductive performance, and ageing rates and associated ecological implications. Topics of major interest currently cover the role of early-life environmental conditions in shaping an organism´s phenotype, inter-generational transmission of parental factors, physiological and neuroendocrine adaptations to environmental stressors and seasonal harshness, seasonal regulatory mechanisms of energy expenditure. With our research we aim to contribute to a greater understanding of how animals face a variety of Anthropocene-related pressures, ultimately linking basic research with One Health approaches.

We mostly focus on regulatory physiological systems of energy balance, including gene-environment interactions and epigenetics, metabolic hormones (glucocorticoids), oxidative stress, and telomere dynamics. Our projects employ a multidisciplinary approach that integrate study of mechanisms and functions, both in well controlled laboratory settings and in the field, and spanning genes to molecules down to the whole-organism. We use tools from different disciplines and domains including transcriptomics, molecular biology, stress physiology, and more recently physiological energetics (accelerometry), and immunity. We are a young group and have so far carried out our research primarily in birds, with more recent collaborative projects in other vertebrate systems including mammals.  

Research areas currently include:

• Inter-generational transmission of maternal factors
• The impact of anthropogenic food wastes on wildlife physiology and fitness
• The role of environmental conditions on migratory strategies  
• Physiological and energy turnovers of seasonal phenotypic transitions
• The impact of environmental conditions on developmental health and life histories

Marzia Verduci (PhD student)

Dr Clara Maria Mendes Alves Ferreira (Technical assistant)