Navigating the Seasons: Unraveling the Genomic Basis of Hibernation in Brown Bears

Hibernation in bears involves a suite of seasonally reversible metabolic and physiological changes. Revealing the mechanisms underlying the reversible physiology of hibernation could have applications to both human and animal health as hibernation is often associated with disease-like states. Changes in hibernation are driven in part by sweeping changes in gene expression in multiple tissues. We determined the seasonal transcriptional changes occurring in brown bears (Ursus arctos horribilis). We continue to study the higher-level regulatory mechanisms involved in the emergence from hibernation. Moreover, we explore the population genetics of brown bears in North America and discuss implications for conservation.

Speaker: Joanna Kelley, UC Santa Cruz