Why do good males die young? The relationship between ageing and sexual selection.

对衰老的生物学理解与人类福祉直接相关。我们将利用实验室和实地研究来探索澳大利亚蟋蟀衰老的进化遗传学，特别强调饮食和繁殖时间如何影响蟋蟀随着年龄的增长而退化的速度。我们还将测试男性和女性之间的生理差异是否会在衰老速度上产生基因冲突。我们的研究结果不仅将补充衰老的进化研究，而且可能最终提出延长人类寿命或改善老龄化人口生活质量的干预措施。

A biological understanding of ageing is directly relevant to human welfare. We will use lab and field studies to explore the evolutionary genetics of ageing in an Australian cricket, with particular emphasis on how diet and the timing of reproduction influence the rate at which crickets deteriorate with age. We will also test whether biological differences between males and females generate genetic conflicts over ageing rates. Our results will not only complement an evolutionary study of ageing, but may ultimately suggest interventions that may prolong human life or improve the quality of life in an ageing population.