Scientific Meeting - Environmental influences on development

Individuals with exactly the same genes can develop in dramatically different ways depending on their experience in early life.

Some adverse conditions can disrupt developmental processes without necessarily leading to death and the individuals cope with their challenges. Many other differences between individuals found within a species are highly adaptive so long as the conditions of early life successfully predict the environment in which the individual will eventually live.

This ZSL scientific meeting will focus on the very different effects of early experience in animals and on what can go wrong when the weather forecast in early life turns out to be incorrect.

In humans, the consequences for adult health of a mismatch between adult characteristics and the environment can be very severe, particularly in rapidly developing countries. The meeting will also explore the how sexual development and patterns of reproduction can be greatly affected by what happens at the beginning of development.

Organised by Professor Sir Patrick Bateson FRS, University of Cambridge & President, ZSL and Professor Bill Holt, Institute of Zoology, ZSL.

Talks & Speakers
The different effects of early experience on development
Professor Sir Patrick Bateson FRS - University of Cambridge
Parental influences on offspring growth and survival in the seahorse Hippocampus kuda
Professor Bill Holt - Institute of Zoology, ZSL
Developmental plasticity and risk of chronic disease
Professor Mark Hanson - University of Southampton
Early life experience and reproductive timing in humans
Dr Daniel Nettle - Newcastle University

Chair: Professor Sir Patrick Bateson FRS

Environmental influences on development Scientific Meeting abstracts (93 KB)

Please note that this event has already taken place.

The talks are free and open to the public (no advance booking or registration required). Talks will begin at 6.00pm; doors open at 5.15pm and seats will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. A dinner with the speakers will follow this Scientific Meeting and places must be booked in advance; please download the dinner booking form for further information.

Further Information: please contact Joy Hayward, Scientific Meetings Coordinator, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY.
Tel:+44 (0)20 7449 6227. Fax: +44 (0)20 7449 6411. E-mail: joy.hayward@zsl.org.

Related links
ZSL Scientific Meetings
Map showing ZSL Meeting Rooms