A few months back, I was working on a manuscript (soon to be published) about work I have been doing during my Back to Science Fellowship. We ran different experimental treatments for our Indian meal moth cultures, heating them during their development and up to the point when, as adults, they were ready to mate. We found that sperm got shorter the higher the temperature we subjected the insect cultures to. This is interesting in itself because it is important to know how species will be affected by rising temperatures as the climate is changing. However, as I was reading the literature, I was surprised to learn that this pattern wasn't unique. I mean, I have been working on reproduction since my PhD, so I have done a fair bit of reading on the topic in general and yet, I had not noticed this pattern before. Let me explain. It is well known that male mammals are unable to produce sperm at body temperature, hence the reason why mammalian testes are usually located outside the body cavity - there are some exceptions to this pattern, for example in marine mammals, but these species have developed adaptations to cool the testes. However, what I was reading in the literature, was that when subjected to heat stress, male mammals and some male insects too, become infertile - and this is the interesting part - before the females do. So, you can mate females who have also been heat stressed to non-stressed males - and they can produce offspring but the reverse doesn't work, heat-stressed males are infertile. Somehow, spermatogenesis (the production of sperm) - and more generally gametogenesis (the production of gametes) too, as plants show the same trend - appears more sensitive to heat stress than oogenesis (the production of eggs). Then, in January, an opinion article came out that summarised exactly what I had been thinking. As I read it excitedly, I noticed that the authors had not picked up on the male/female differences on heat-stress sensitivity, so I wrote a comment. It is not only intriguing that males and females show different sensitivity to temperature stress, it may also tell us something about how species will be affected by climate change and how we might buffer or tackle these sensitivities. I am very keen to explore this further. So if you are a student, and this sounds interesting, please contact me.
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One of my favourite Christmas present this year has been Becoming by Michelle Obama. I am sure this has been a popular choice as a gift, and I can say I definitely enjoyed it. I thought I would devour it in a couple of sitting (as it happens when I like a book) but I found myself slowing down as I was reading it, just to savour every page. I liked its honesty and simplicity but I also found a surprising number of commonalities, which I would have not expected. After all, I have not much in common with the previous First Lady of the White House. However, it turns out that being a woman, having children and trying to balance life and career, presents you with very similar challenges, or so I felt. And therefore I started reading it with a different, renewed interest, not just because I was enjoying it, but because I thought I could find some wisdom to apply to my own life, and in my new endeavour, as senior mentor for returners to science. Am I good enough? Is a key question in the initial part of her life and book. This is something I feel so personally, as I always struggle with insecurity and impostor syndrome. I know these are common feelings for women in general, but especially for those (men and women) who work in the very competitive environment that is academia. I could really empathise with Michelle Obama's need for seeking other people's approval and recognition. Especially since coming back following a career change and an extended career break, I am constantly questioning whether I belong in academia. And yet I think that, having spent time away gives me and other returners to science, a different perspective, one that can bring different skills, opinions and experiences. A bit like a breath of fresh air. |
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