Marine Life Talk: The Mysteries of Ageing in a Marine Environment Event
- Time:
- 19:30 - 20:30
- Date:
- 1 December 2011
- Venue:
- National Oceanography Centre
Event details
From immortal jelly fish and sea anemones that live for decades‚ some marine organisms appear not to age. Do our oceans contain the answer to extending longevity?
Dr Joel Parker
From immortal jelly fish and sea anemones that live for decades‚ some marine organisms appear not to age. Do our oceans contain the answer to extending longevity?
This talk by Dr Joel Parker will cover theories on the causes of ageing and how these apply to marine environments. The main question to be explored is whether there are aspects of marine environments that effect ageing differently from what is observed in terrestrial environments. Specific cases of extreme life span in marine organisms will be used to explore this question.
Dr Parker uses non-model and model insect systems to understand ageing. Currently, his lab is using bumblebees to investigate social effects on ageing, and Drosophila to study an antioxidant gene he discovered in ants. He is originally from the US where he earned his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of Oregon and his doctorate in Biology at Arizona State University. He did his post doctoral training in Switzerland looking into the molecular basis of ageing in extremely long lived ants before joining the University of Southampton where he is now a lecturer at the Centre for Biological Sciences.
The Marine Life Talks are held on the first Thursday of the month at 7.30pm at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton, and are open to the public, staff and students. Please arrive at 7.15pm to be met in Reception. Arrangements for wheelchairs must be made in advance.
The National Oceanography Centre Southampton is reached via Dock Gate 4 (between Southampton's Town Quay and Ocean Village).
Further information: http://noc.ac.uk/news/marine-life-talks