Our research
Ongoing projects:
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MATERNAL EFFECTS
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Maternal thyroid hormones: ecology, evolution and environmental disruption
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This is a 5-year project (2016-2020) funded by the Academy of Finland. We study the function, environmental plasticity and evolutionary correlates of maternally-derived egg thyroid hormones in birds. I also study the potential for pollutants as (transgenerational) thyroid function disruptors. Research methods include international large-scale inter-and intraspecific sample collection and experimental manipulation of hormones and environmental conditions. We also develop new methodology to measure thyroid hormones (nano-LCMS).
Post-doc: Bin-Yan Hsu, PhD student: Tom Sarraude
Collaborators: Veerle Darras (KUleuven, Belgium), Blandine Doligez (CRSN, Lyon), Ton Groothuis (Univ Groningen, NL), Marcel Visser (Netherlands Institute of Ecology, NL), Tapio Eeva (Univ. Turku), Rodrigo Vasquez (Univ Chile) ​and numerous other groups involved in sample collection.
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Maternal effects in extreme climatic conditions
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In collaboration with Martje Birker (Uni Groningen), Rodrigo Vasquez (Uni Chile), we study how maternal effects (hormones, incubation behavior) may play a role in adapting to extreme climatic conditions in a passerine bird (Thorn-tailed Rayadito) across a gradient in Chile, using correlative and experimental appraoch.
Early-life enviroment, aging and plasticity
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We study how prenatal and postnatal enviroment influences aging markers and mitochondrial function in birds, with Antoine Stier (UTU, Glasgow)
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Maternally-derived yolk steroids and avian personalities
We investigate whether avian personality traits and stress reactivity are associated with reproductive strategies, especially varying hormone levels in eggs. Collaboration: Dr. Kees van Oers (NIOO; NL), Dr Alex Baugh
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Maternal effects under predation risk
Together with Dr. Chiara Morosinotto and Dr. Robert Thomson we study how breeding under simulated predation risk affects resource allocation to egg in pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca).
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Human impact and transgenerational effects in fish
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With Katja Anttila and Giovanna Mottola (Univ Turku) we explore among population variation and consequences of human-induced environmental changes (temperature changes due to nuclear power plants) on maternal thyroid hormones and reproduction.
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EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
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Towars an evolutionary theory of stress: - combining modelling and empiricism
Starting from University of Bern (SW) 'Arolla workshop' we are a team of empiricists (prof Barbara Taborsky, prof Carmen Sandi, Dr. Sinead English and me) and theoreticians (Dr. Tim Fawcett, Dr, Bram Kuijper, Prof Olof Leimar) who are processing how to model stress responses and evolution of stress, as well as the links between stress programming and development.
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Oxidative stress and life-histories
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Using various experimental designs and long-term data collection we study oxidative cost of reproduction- using the pied flycatcher as the model system. Collaborators: Robert L Thomson (Univ Cape Town), Chiara Morosinotto (UTU)
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EPIGENETICS
We study how early-life exposure to pollutants and poor nutrition affects methylation markers in a wild bird model (great tits). My collaborators are Dr. Hannu Mäkinen, Dr. Tapio Eeva (UTU) and Dr. Kees van Oers and Dr. Veronika Laine (NIOO, NL).
ECOTOXICOLOGY
Effects of glyphosate on non-target taxa: glyphosate in a vertebrate model
Glyphosate is the most widely used herbidice in the world, but data on the effects on non-target taxa in environmentally relevant concentration is scarce. Together with the group of Marjo Helander (5-year Academy of Finland project, 2017-2021) we study its short-​ and long-term effects on development, physiology, and importantly, gut microbiota, in a vertebrate model (bird model). Collaboration: Marjo Helander, Irma Saloniemi, Pere Puigpo, Miia Rainio (UTU), the group of Seppo Salminen (Functional Foods Forum, UTU), among others.
