Intergenerational Effects of Dietary Restriction and Insulin/IGF Signaling on Starvation Resistance and Reproductive Development

The Baugh Lab is interested in phenotypic plasticity and developmental robustness despite variable environmental conditions. We use the roundworm C. elegans to study how animals adapt to starvation over different time scales using functional genomics (bulk and single-cell) as well as statistical, quantitative, and molecular genetics. Our research questions revolve around how gene regulation and development are governed by nutrient availability, how animals acclimate to survive starvation, and the mechanisms underlying adult consequences of early life starvation. We are gaining insight into the genetic basis of natural variation among wild strains, the function of conserved tumor suppressors, epigenetic effects of starvation, and how early life experience affects adult disease.