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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 5465
Email
mike.garratt@otago.ac.nz
Position
Associate Professor
Department
Department of Anatomy
Research summary
Life history evolution, biology of ageing

Research

Our research is interested in how reproduction influences life-history, health and ageing. This includes physiological effects of gonadal-derived hormones, consequences of mating, and even impacts of social pheromone perception on life-history trajectory. A related research theme explores how sex-specific aspects of reproduction cause sexual-dimorphism in lifespan, and influence the effectiveness of interventions developed to improve healthy ageing.

Most experimental work is conducted in mice, which provides access to molecular-genetic techniques to directly manipulate physiology controlling development, reproduction and ageing. We also use comparative approaches to identify evolutionary and mechanistic drivers of diversification in life history on an interspecies scale, and have several collaborative projects that probe links between reproduction and ageing in wild animals.

Publications

Garratt, M., Try, H., Neyt, C., & Brooks, R. C. (2024). Exposure to female olfactory cues hastens reproductive ageing and increases mortality when mating in male mice. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 291, 20231848. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1848 Journal - Research Article

Agbor Epse Muluh, E., McCormack, J. C., Mo, Y., Garratt, M., & Peng, M. (2024). Gustatory and olfactory shifts during pregnancy and the postpartum period: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiology & Behavior, 273, 114388. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114388 Journal - Research Article

Sugrue, V. J., Zoller, J. A., Narayan, P., Lu, A. T., Ortega-Recalde, O. J., Grant, M. J., … Bond, D. M., … Campbell, R., Garratt, M., … Hore, T. A. (2023). Male-specific DNA aging and building the Androgen Clock. Proceedings of the Genetics Otago (GO) Annual Symposium & Workshops. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/go Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Garratt, M., Neyt, C., Ladyman, S. R., Pyrski, M., Zufall, F., & Leinders-Zufall, T. (2023). Sensory detection of female olfactory cues as a central regulator of energy metabolism and body weight in male mice. iScience, 26, 106455. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106455 Journal - Research Article

McCormack, J. C., Roberts, R., Garratt, M., Wang, T., Hayes, J., & Peng, M. (2023). Longitudinal study of Energy, Neurosensory and Eating Responses durinG pregnancY (ENERGY cohort): A study protocol. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2023.01.033 Journal - Research Other

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