Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Biomedicine Discovery Seminar
Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute
How does nutrition influence body size?
Thursday, 12 May, 2016
Presenter
Dr Christen Mirth
12.00 – 1.00 pm
Level 3 Seminar Room
15 Innovation Walk
Clayton campus
PhD
School of Biological Sciences, Faculty
of Science, Monash University
Abstract
About the presenter
During development, nutrition plays an important role in regulating
growth and development in most animals, determining their final
body size and shape. Work in my lab explores the molecular
mechanisms through which nutrition exerts these effects using
the genetic toolkit available in the fruit fly, Drosophila
melanogaster. We have found that the variation in the larval
nutritional environment controls the production and secretion of a
number of important developmental hormones and involves
extensive communication between organs. By understanding
nutrition-dependent regulation of growth and development in
Drosophila, our work imparts critical insight into similar processes
across a wide range of organisms.
I completed my PhD at the Department of Zoology, University of
Cambridge (UK) under the supervision of Prof. Michael Akam. My
work examined how developmental hormones coordinate the
morphogenesis of adult structures during insect metamorphosis. I
conducted my post-doctoral training (2003-2008) at the Department
of Biology, University of Washington (USA) with Professors Lynn
Riddiford and Jim Truman. Here, I explored how these same
developmental hormones were modified by nutrition to regulate
body size. In 2008, I moved with Prof. Riddiford to Janelia
Research Campus – HHMI (USA) to continue these studies and to
explore how variation in nutrition alters feeding behaviour.
I took up my first independent position as a Group Leader in 2010
at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in Portugal. At the end of
2015, I moved to the School of Biological Sciences at Monash
University. My group investigates the development and evolution of
environmentally-sensitive traits.
www.monash.edu/discovery-institute
CRICOS Provider: Monash University 00008C.