The immune response as a determinant of female reproductive investment
Description: Aims: This project will define how ‘cryptic female choice’ affects reproductive outcomes through immune recognition of embryo histocompatibility genes, to modulate maternal nutrient provision and fetal growth.
Significance: The research will tackle an important knowledge gap in animal reproduction science, where poorly-understood male-female compatibility effects cause variation in breeding efficiency with major economic and environmental impact.
Expected outcomes: We expect to generate new understanding of the genes, immune response elements, and vascular changes that explain compatibility effects.
Benefits: The results will inform strategies to improve fertility in livestock animals, and in rare and threatened species.
Funder: Australian Research Council
Amount: A$677,500
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: Discovery Projects
Start date: 2022-01-01
End date: 2025-03-14
Investigator: Sarah Robertson
Institution: The University of Adelaide
Funded outputs count: 2
Funder award ID: DP220103487
OpenAlex ID: G5212820087