Research

Since nutrients and energy are required for most biological functions, changes to nutrient levels affect a wide array of processes. Highly conserved signaling pathways detect and interpret nutrient levels, and communicate that information throughout the body to coordinate systems-wide responses. This allows an animal to grow and reproduce when nutrients are plentiful, for instance; conversely, in a nutrient-poor environment, energetic resources may instead be devoted to such processes as maintaining cell integrity under stress. It is advantageous for organisms to respond to a nutrient-poor environment by postponing procreation until there are more favourable conditions, and interestingly, the physiological responses that facilitate this can slow the organism's age-related decline. Aging is characterized by cell- and tissue-level alterations that underpin broader changes, such as decreasing fertility and rising disease susceptibility. Therefore, considering the links between nutritional energy and fundamental biological processes, it is perhaps unsurprising that evolutionarily conserved nutrient-sensing signaling pathways regulate both reproductive function and age-related physiological changes.

In the Templeman lab, we study signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms that control cell maintenance, lifespan, and functioning of the female reproductive system. We are particularly interested in how nutritional energy alters and informs these things. Our methods are based on genetics, physiology, and cell biology. We primarily use two complementary animal models, the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans and mice, to investigate age-related changes that span from the molecular and cellular levels to the whole body.