PhD project:  The effects of sociality on senescence under an environmental pollution context

‘Why organisms age’ has been a central question in biology, and telomere dynamics has been widely used as a key biomarker for ageing. However, much remains unknown about the ecology and evolution of telomere dynamics in nature. Using two wild populations of house sparrows in the UK and Australia, my PhD aims to 1) test for evolutionary theories on telomere dynamics in the wild; and to examine the effects of 2) pollution and 3) sociality on telomeres. My results would help understand the evolution of ageing, and inform public health and conservation initiatives to improve both the physical and social environments for healthier ageing.