ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE IN INSECT CHRONOBIOLOGY
Insects and mammals share molecular machinery that generates circadian rhythms in behaviour and physiology. Biological timing has a major impact in human physical and psychological well-being, as well as in the economy of the ’24-hour’ society. Studying insect clocks is a faster, cost-effective and ethical way of learning about mammalian clocks.
During the action substantial advances were made that contributed to the publication of 16 Open Access papers.
PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL
Insects cause serious damage to crops and compromise food production. Due to climate change, tropical insects are expanding their ranges to temperate regions, including Europe, bringing diseases (eg malaria and Dengue fever). The seasonal timekeeping determines when the insects enter diapause, the equivalent of mammalian hibernation and shares molecular components with the 24 hour circadian clock. Manipulating this seasonal response would provide a tool to control these insects, so several of the species we study are agricultural pests or have implications for pest control.
The implementation of our projects in the non-traditional model organisms, Pyrrhocoris apterus, Drosophila suzukii, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and Nasonia vitripennis has led to the identification of new molecules and neurotransmitters involved in seasonal timekeeping. Furthermore, in pea aphids the first physiological link between the central clock and the photoperiodic system was identified.
DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE RESEARCHERS
Our ESRs became familiar with an extensive set of multidisciplinary skills, and, together with their exposure to the private sector, will enhance the pool of highly skilled, young European researchers.
The outbreak of COVID-19 affected our activities for most of the second reporting period. Despite this, at the end of the action, all our students (except ESR10 who was re-appointed mid 2020) have defended their PhD thesis and been awarded their doctorate, or are in the process of writing up their thesis to be examined by the end of 2023. Our ESRs have been exposed to a wide range of courses and presented and brainstormed their data regularly to all partners and scientific advisers, with each contributing a different skillset. Finally, they have been exposed to the commercial sector by attending webinars organised by our Associate Partners, and some have undergone an internship at Oxitec, UK.
