The impact of landfill foraging in wildlife: pain or gain?

2024-2028, Austrian Science Fund FWF: “landfill foraging in migratory birds: pain or gain?“. Principal Investigators (PIs): Valeria Marasco, Andrea Flack (Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany), and Marcin Tobółka (Department of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland).

The role of environmental stress in shaping migratory strategies

Post-Doctoral research project to assess the contribution of environmental stress experienced during early development in shaping migratory strategies using the Common quail as our study species. I am the Principal Investigator (PI) of this project which is funded by a Lise Meitner Fellowship (Austrian Science Fund FWF; 2020-2023). Main collaborators: L. Fusani, T. Boswell, S. Smith.

Modulatory drivers of avian migration: an integrative approach

Post-Doctoral research project to determine the endocrine and neuroendocrine mechanisms that can drive the remarkable adaptations birds show during their migratory programs. We are using the migratory Common quail as study species. I am the PI of this project, which is funded by a Marie-Curie Individual Fellowship (EU funding; 2017-2019). Main collaborators: L. Fusani, S. Smith.

Environmental stress and telomere dynamics

Post-doctoral research project to study the long-term effects of exposure to stressful environmental circumstances on fitness-related traits, primarily telomere dynamics and potential inheritance into the next generations, using the zebra finch as a study species. Main collaborators: P. Monaghan (Principal Investigator, ERC funded project), Winnie Boner, Britt Heidinger, and Kate Griffiths.

Early life stress programming: from genes to physiology

PhD research to study the long-term neurophysiological and organismal effects of early-life exposure to glucocorticoids using the Japanese quail as my study system. Funding: Kelvin-Smith Scholarship, University of Glasgow, UK. Main collaborators: Karen Anne Spencer, Pawel Herzyk, Jane Robinson, David Costantini.

Endocrine control of territorial aggression

MSc research to study the hormonal control of territorial aggression  in the European stonechat during both the breeding- and non-breeding season. Main collaborators: Virginie Canoine (PI), Leonida Fusani

Collaborations 

2023-2027, MIN CIENCIA E INNOVACION funded project: “Origin and impact of chromosomal inversions on the evolution and physiology of common quails – EVOLQUAIL“. Principal Investigator: Carles Vila. Main project participants:  Sánchez Donoso, Inés; Çeltik, Elif (PhD candidate, University of Seville, Spain).

Simone Messina (PhD candidate, University of Antwerp,  Antwerpen, Belgium; Supervisors: David Costantini, Marcel Eens, David Edwards. 2018-2021, FWO funded project:  “Physiological stress as a mechanism underlying the effects of forest logging on tropical birds: an experimental approach.”