The immune response as a determinant of female reproductive investment

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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.