Abstract

Our research explores the idiosyncrasies of adult organs: how they differ between the sexes and are remodelled by their environment. Our work in Drosophila uncovered a gut-reproductive axis that differs between the sexes and impacts food intake, gamete production and tumour susceptibility. Investigating how the intestine senses and responds to nutrients, we also discovered an intestinal zinc sensor that promotes Tor signalling to sustain food intake and developmental growth. More recently, we have investigated the sex and reproductive plasticity of the mammalian intestine in both mice and humans. We have also become very interested in the idea that the shape and position of the intestine constrain or enable its functions, and we have developed new methods to describe and interrogate these new dimensions to organ function. I will likely present some of this work.