My main interest is in the evolutionary genetics of sex differences, especially sexually antagonistic genetic variation—in other words, when the same gene has opposite effects on the fitness of males and females. Sexually antagonistic genes and traits are interesting because they may hold the key to one of the long-standing paradoxes in evolutionary biology: the maintenance of standing genetic variation. When selection is strong and traits are heritable, it is expected that standing genetic variance for fitness should be rapidly depleted. Yet this is not what we see when we look at natural populations. Sexual antagonism may provide an answer since it means that the fitness of any given allele is context-dependent, preventing rapid depletion of genetic variance.

I have studied sexually antagonistic genetic variation in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) for several years, and will now be adding a new study organism to my lab: the hermaphroditic flatworm Macrostomum lignano. Although it may seem strange to think of hermaphroditic organisms as experiencing sexual antagonism, there are good theoretical reasons to believe that this is the case. In addition to continuing research on fruit flies, I am therefore also carrying out an extensive investigation of sexual antagonism in M. lignano.

Date: 20th May, 2015 12:00 – 13:00 PM

Location: BMC room I1341, 

Sölvegatan 19, Lund 

For those without BMC access cards, the reception is happy to help. A pickup of lunch seminar attendees at 11.55 from the BMC reception will be organized by a WINGS member.

You are welcome to bring your own lunch, light refreshments will be provided. Lunch can be purchased from Stamstället, downstairs from the BMC reception.

Please send an email by 15th May to linnea [dot] taylor [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (linnea[dot]taylor[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)  or register at http://goo.gl/forms/QC4LP30Xmy if you want to participate.    

We look forward to seeing you there!