ERC Advanced Grant · 2024
Reconstructing the Molecular Evolution of Non-Shivering Thermogenesis
Non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) is one of the most fascinating evolutionary achievements, enabling high body temperatures and successful radiation of mammals and birds into cold environments. Yet, the evolutionary origin and molecular innovations enabling NST are unknown. Using comparative approaches, my laboratory has recently transformed our view on mammalian NST by demonstrating that the thermogenic function of the mammalian heater protein, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), has only emerged late during mammalian evolution in the stem placental ancestor. With this ground-breaking framework, I aim to reconstruct the molecular innovations of UCP1-based NST in placental mammals, and explore the…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.