Elizabeth Duxbury
@eduxbury.bsky.social
Senior Postdoctoral Research Associate
Evolution and genetics of ageing, host-pathogen coevolution.
Evolution and genetics of ageing, host-pathogen coevolution.
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
1/6 In a new preprint we ask a question:
Why do males and females so often age and die at different rates?
We argue that sex-specific mutation accumulation may be the most parsimonious evolutionary explanation for sex-biased ageing:
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
Why do males and females so often age and die at different rates?
We argue that sex-specific mutation accumulation may be the most parsimonious evolutionary explanation for sex-biased ageing:
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
Sex-specific mutation accumulation: A parsimonious explanation for sex differences in lifespan and ageing
ecoevorxiv.org
November 19, 2025 at 12:08 PM
1/6 In a new preprint we ask a question:
Why do males and females so often age and die at different rates?
We argue that sex-specific mutation accumulation may be the most parsimonious evolutionary explanation for sex-biased ageing:
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
Why do males and females so often age and die at different rates?
We argue that sex-specific mutation accumulation may be the most parsimonious evolutionary explanation for sex-biased ageing:
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
1/ Evolutionary trade-offs between intergenerational and transgenerational fitness effects
Transgenerational / intergeneration fitness effects can be adaptive, but they can also trade-off with each other:
New work led by Isaac Harris, preprint:
tinyurl.com/yp2b6tjm
Transgenerational / intergeneration fitness effects can be adaptive, but they can also trade-off with each other:
New work led by Isaac Harris, preprint:
tinyurl.com/yp2b6tjm
November 5, 2025 at 12:18 PM
1/ Evolutionary trade-offs between intergenerational and transgenerational fitness effects
Transgenerational / intergeneration fitness effects can be adaptive, but they can also trade-off with each other:
New work led by Isaac Harris, preprint:
tinyurl.com/yp2b6tjm
Transgenerational / intergeneration fitness effects can be adaptive, but they can also trade-off with each other:
New work led by Isaac Harris, preprint:
tinyurl.com/yp2b6tjm
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
New preprint! We unexpectedly discovered that some Caenorhabditis species delete parts of their somatic genome early in development, which fragments their chromosomes and eliminates key germline genes. Multiple lines of evidence suggest this bizarre process was present in the ancestors of C. elegans
October 28, 2025 at 12:11 PM
New preprint! We unexpectedly discovered that some Caenorhabditis species delete parts of their somatic genome early in development, which fragments their chromosomes and eliminates key germline genes. Multiple lines of evidence suggest this bizarre process was present in the ancestors of C. elegans
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
Excited to share our new work on transgenerational adaptation www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.... out today spearheaded by outstanding former undergraduate @kathleenkim.bsky.social. C. elegans adapt to repeated generational stresses and no longer display altered fertility, fat content, + longevity 1/9
Transgenerational adaptation to hypoxia
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www.science.org
October 24, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Excited to share our new work on transgenerational adaptation www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.... out today spearheaded by outstanding former undergraduate @kathleenkim.bsky.social. C. elegans adapt to repeated generational stresses and no longer display altered fertility, fat content, + longevity 1/9
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
Mild stresses on the body, like fasting or cold exposure, can delay ageing. But how?
A new Insight Article explores how oxygen-sensing neurons in C. elegans trigger body-wide stress signals that boost resilience and extend lifespan.
buff.ly/wJIQKfm
A new Insight Article explores how oxygen-sensing neurons in C. elegans trigger body-wide stress signals that boost resilience and extend lifespan.
buff.ly/wJIQKfm
October 12, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Mild stresses on the body, like fasting or cold exposure, can delay ageing. But how?
A new Insight Article explores how oxygen-sensing neurons in C. elegans trigger body-wide stress signals that boost resilience and extend lifespan.
buff.ly/wJIQKfm
A new Insight Article explores how oxygen-sensing neurons in C. elegans trigger body-wide stress signals that boost resilience and extend lifespan.
buff.ly/wJIQKfm
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
This image shows neurons being grown on a surface with tiny patterns that resemble human tissue to ‘steer’ their growth.
Models like this allow us to learn more about our nervous system and conditions like motor neurone disease.
Image credit: Cathleen Hagemann and @andreaserio.bsky.social
Models like this allow us to learn more about our nervous system and conditions like motor neurone disease.
Image credit: Cathleen Hagemann and @andreaserio.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 12:44 PM
This image shows neurons being grown on a surface with tiny patterns that resemble human tissue to ‘steer’ their growth.
Models like this allow us to learn more about our nervous system and conditions like motor neurone disease.
Image credit: Cathleen Hagemann and @andreaserio.bsky.social
Models like this allow us to learn more about our nervous system and conditions like motor neurone disease.
Image credit: Cathleen Hagemann and @andreaserio.bsky.social
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
Why does the naked mole rat have the longest lifespan of any rodent, nearly 40 years?
A 30-year long mystery unraveled @ScienceMagazine today!
Its cGAS enzyme in cells has 4 missense mutations that upends its function, promoting DNA repair and suppressing inflammation
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A 30-year long mystery unraveled @ScienceMagazine today!
Its cGAS enzyme in cells has 4 missense mutations that upends its function, promoting DNA repair and suppressing inflammation
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
October 9, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Why does the naked mole rat have the longest lifespan of any rodent, nearly 40 years?
A 30-year long mystery unraveled @ScienceMagazine today!
Its cGAS enzyme in cells has 4 missense mutations that upends its function, promoting DNA repair and suppressing inflammation
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A 30-year long mystery unraveled @ScienceMagazine today!
Its cGAS enzyme in cells has 4 missense mutations that upends its function, promoting DNA repair and suppressing inflammation
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
“This study is particularly important to me as it took place during my post doc years at the @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social and it has been a source of inspiration for my current research line, as a newly appointed Early Career Fellow at the Quadram Institute."
💬 Dr Serena Monaco
💬 Dr Serena Monaco
New technique to speed up the design of drugs targeting proteins in the cell membrane - Quadram Institute
An team has developed a new technique that will speed up the design of drugs targeting ion channels, a type of cell membrane protein
buff.ly
October 2, 2025 at 8:37 AM
“This study is particularly important to me as it took place during my post doc years at the @uniofeastanglia.bsky.social and it has been a source of inspiration for my current research line, as a newly appointed Early Career Fellow at the Quadram Institute."
💬 Dr Serena Monaco
💬 Dr Serena Monaco
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
New paper out! 🤩 "Shrinking to bird size with dinosaur-level cancer defences: Evolution of cancer suppression over macroevolutionary time" with @kokkonut.bsky.social and @marcanthonytollis.bsky.social. doi.org/10.1371/jour... A short thread:
Shrinking to bird size with dinosaur-level cancer defences: Evolution of cancer suppression over macroevolutionary time
Author summary Humans are not the only species suffering from cancer, yet cancer does not impact all life equally. Body size is relevant because maintaining a large number of cells in a tumour-free st...
doi.org
September 16, 2025 at 11:51 AM
New paper out! 🤩 "Shrinking to bird size with dinosaur-level cancer defences: Evolution of cancer suppression over macroevolutionary time" with @kokkonut.bsky.social and @marcanthonytollis.bsky.social. doi.org/10.1371/jour... A short thread:
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
Why does eating less extend lifespan? 🧬
Mutation accumulation underpins evolution of lifespan extension by dietary restriction
We often think about saving energy or recycling waste - but we show how evolution acting on mutation load can generate longer life on low food 🧵
🔗 tinyurl.com/jn5ryhxv
Mutation accumulation underpins evolution of lifespan extension by dietary restriction
We often think about saving energy or recycling waste - but we show how evolution acting on mutation load can generate longer life on low food 🧵
🔗 tinyurl.com/jn5ryhxv
June 25, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Why does eating less extend lifespan? 🧬
Mutation accumulation underpins evolution of lifespan extension by dietary restriction
We often think about saving energy or recycling waste - but we show how evolution acting on mutation load can generate longer life on low food 🧵
🔗 tinyurl.com/jn5ryhxv
Mutation accumulation underpins evolution of lifespan extension by dietary restriction
We often think about saving energy or recycling waste - but we show how evolution acting on mutation load can generate longer life on low food 🧵
🔗 tinyurl.com/jn5ryhxv
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
In my latest piece for @uk.theconversation.com, I explain our latest research with @eivimeycook.bsky.social and @alexeimaklakov.bsky.social on how eating less, rapamycin and metformin affect lifespan.
Read it here: theconversation.com/anti-ageing-...
#ageing #longevity #sciencecommunication
Read it here: theconversation.com/anti-ageing-...
#ageing #longevity #sciencecommunication
Anti-ageing drug rapamycin may extend life almost as effectively as restricting calories – our new research
Scientists compared diet, rapamycin and metformin in search for longevity boost.
theconversation.com
June 19, 2025 at 2:16 PM
In my latest piece for @uk.theconversation.com, I explain our latest research with @eivimeycook.bsky.social and @alexeimaklakov.bsky.social on how eating less, rapamycin and metformin affect lifespan.
Read it here: theconversation.com/anti-ageing-...
#ageing #longevity #sciencecommunication
Read it here: theconversation.com/anti-ageing-...
#ageing #longevity #sciencecommunication
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
New paper!
"Rapamycin, Not Metformin, Mirrors Dietary Restriction-Driven Lifespan Extension in Vertebrates: A Meta-Analysis"
tinyurl.com/yc6pkmbe
Using meta-analysis, we examined the average lifespan extension conferred by dietary restriction (DR), Metformin, and Rapamycin.
"Rapamycin, Not Metformin, Mirrors Dietary Restriction-Driven Lifespan Extension in Vertebrates: A Meta-Analysis"
tinyurl.com/yc6pkmbe
Using meta-analysis, we examined the average lifespan extension conferred by dietary restriction (DR), Metformin, and Rapamycin.
Rapamycin, Not Metformin, Mirrors Dietary Restriction‐Driven Lifespan Extension in Vertebrates: A Meta‐Analysis
The authors provide evidence that, together with Dietary Restriction, Rapamcyin and not Metformin, provides a significant lifespan extension in vertebrates.
tinyurl.com
June 19, 2025 at 10:18 AM
New paper!
"Rapamycin, Not Metformin, Mirrors Dietary Restriction-Driven Lifespan Extension in Vertebrates: A Meta-Analysis"
tinyurl.com/yc6pkmbe
Using meta-analysis, we examined the average lifespan extension conferred by dietary restriction (DR), Metformin, and Rapamycin.
"Rapamycin, Not Metformin, Mirrors Dietary Restriction-Driven Lifespan Extension in Vertebrates: A Meta-Analysis"
tinyurl.com/yc6pkmbe
Using meta-analysis, we examined the average lifespan extension conferred by dietary restriction (DR), Metformin, and Rapamycin.
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
. @pnas.org just published the final version of our manuscript on how generation time and effective population size interact to shape vertebrate germline mutation rates, led by Luke Zhu and Annabel Beichman: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
May 21, 2025 at 7:33 PM
. @pnas.org just published the final version of our manuscript on how generation time and effective population size interact to shape vertebrate germline mutation rates, led by Luke Zhu and Annabel Beichman: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
This is a really great compilation - full of stories of wonder and joy.
But it's the words of Roger Hallam that hit me hardest: "David has shown us how beautiful the world is beyond words. And also taught us that words alone will not save what is left to save."
But it's the words of Roger Hallam that hit me hardest: "David has shown us how beautiful the world is beyond words. And also taught us that words alone will not save what is left to save."
An early HAPPY 99TH BIRTHDAY Sir David! Thank you all the amazing nature people I spoke to who gave these wonderful lessons they've learned from David Attenborough... www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio... (@robgmacfarlane.bsky.social @chrisgpackham.bsky.social and many, many more)
Happy birthday, David Attenborough! 99 ways he has inspired us, by Barack Obama, Billie Eilish, Morgan Freeman – and many more
This week the presenter turns 99. To celebrate, we asked 99 nature lovers – including Margaret Atwood, Jane Fonda, Bono, Kate Winslet and Michael Palin – how he has helped us see the world with fresh ...
www.theguardian.com
May 3, 2025 at 8:18 AM
This is a really great compilation - full of stories of wonder and joy.
But it's the words of Roger Hallam that hit me hardest: "David has shown us how beautiful the world is beyond words. And also taught us that words alone will not save what is left to save."
But it's the words of Roger Hallam that hit me hardest: "David has shown us how beautiful the world is beyond words. And also taught us that words alone will not save what is left to save."
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
Does intermittent fasting improve health outcomes?
It's not clearcut.
A very good review of what is known @nature.com
open-access.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
It's not clearcut.
A very good review of what is known @nature.com
open-access.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Fasting for weight loss is all the rage: what are the health benefits?
Intermittent fasting has gained a following, in part because of tantalizing hints that it can boost cognition, fend off cancer and even slow ageing.
www.nature.com
March 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Does intermittent fasting improve health outcomes?
It's not clearcut.
A very good review of what is known @nature.com
open-access.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
It's not clearcut.
A very good review of what is known @nature.com
open-access.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
1/ Transposable elements are often called "jumping genes" because they mobilize within genomes. 🧬
But did you know they can also jump 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 cells? 🤯
Our new study reveals how retrotransposons invade the germline directly from somatic cells.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A short thread 🧵👇
But did you know they can also jump 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 cells? 🤯
Our new study reveals how retrotransposons invade the germline directly from somatic cells.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A short thread 🧵👇
March 17, 2025 at 11:56 AM
1/ Transposable elements are often called "jumping genes" because they mobilize within genomes. 🧬
But did you know they can also jump 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 cells? 🤯
Our new study reveals how retrotransposons invade the germline directly from somatic cells.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A short thread 🧵👇
But did you know they can also jump 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 cells? 🤯
Our new study reveals how retrotransposons invade the germline directly from somatic cells.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A short thread 🧵👇
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
In my first Drosophila study at @salehlabparis.bsky.social, we found that:
1. Enteric viral infections accelerate aging.
2. Even if the infection is cleared, aging process remains triggered.
3. Accelerated aging correlates with reduced lifespan.
📑Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1. Enteric viral infections accelerate aging.
2. Even if the infection is cleared, aging process remains triggered.
3. Accelerated aging correlates with reduced lifespan.
📑Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
March 14, 2025 at 1:59 PM
In my first Drosophila study at @salehlabparis.bsky.social, we found that:
1. Enteric viral infections accelerate aging.
2. Even if the infection is cleared, aging process remains triggered.
3. Accelerated aging correlates with reduced lifespan.
📑Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
1. Enteric viral infections accelerate aging.
2. Even if the infection is cleared, aging process remains triggered.
3. Accelerated aging correlates with reduced lifespan.
📑Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Elizabeth Duxbury
If you are interested in the biological function of piRNAs and how they interact with TEs, this is the tool for you (for any organism with relevant info available) - full credit to @alicegodden.bsky.social who came up with this brilliant idea!
And enjoy the fish 🐟 eating the Pi(e) 🥧
And enjoy the fish 🐟 eating the Pi(e) 🥧
🚨Our new paper @immler.bsky.social @biouea.bsky.social 🚨
FishPi: a #bioinformatic prediction tool to link #piRNA and #transposable elements
Read now in Mobile DNA >> rdcu.be/d7Jub
✅ Covers many species (more to come)
✅ GUI based software
#TESky #zebrafish #transposons
@zebrafishrock.bsky.social
FishPi: a #bioinformatic prediction tool to link #piRNA and #transposable elements
Read now in Mobile DNA >> rdcu.be/d7Jub
✅ Covers many species (more to come)
✅ GUI based software
#TESky #zebrafish #transposons
@zebrafishrock.bsky.social
January 28, 2025 at 10:15 AM
If you are interested in the biological function of piRNAs and how they interact with TEs, this is the tool for you (for any organism with relevant info available) - full credit to @alicegodden.bsky.social who came up with this brilliant idea!
And enjoy the fish 🐟 eating the Pi(e) 🥧
And enjoy the fish 🐟 eating the Pi(e) 🥧
This looks interesting: clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
How do lifestyle and environmental factors influence the sperm epigenome? Effects on sperm fertilising ability, embryo development, and offspring health - Clinical Epigenetics
Recent studies support the influence of paternal lifestyle and diet before conception on the health of the offspring via epigenetic inheritance through sperm DNA methylation, histone modification, and...
clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com
January 18, 2025 at 6:34 PM
This looks interesting: clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....