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SEB Conference 2026

Presidents Welcome

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. The program featured plenary speakers, sessions, workshops and many special activities.

For more information please visit the 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting page at: https://www.aapt.org/Conferences/SM2020/index.cfm.


AAPT SM 20

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. 

SEB’s Annual Conference is celebrated for creating the perfect composition of research, new discoveries, and collaborative connections. Be creative and innovative by exchanging ideas and knowledge with masters of biology from all over the world.

**This year’s theme is “Resilience.”**

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Each year at our Annual Conference, we honour George Parker Bidder and Harold Woolhouse with two key Plenary Lectures. These lectures, along with the Cell Biology and OED Plenary Lecture, are given by scientists prominent in their field and are nominated by the committees of their respective sections.<br>

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SEB’s Annual Conference is celebrated for creating the perfect composition of research, new discoveries and collaborative connections. Be creative and innovative by exchanging ideas and knowledge with masters of biology from all over the world. 

Across levels of biological organisation, increases in energy availability often translate into proportionally smaller increases in biomass. For example, in humans and other animals, the phenomenon of energy compensation means that elevated energy intake does not linearly increase stored fat or lean mass, because part of the energy surplus is leaked or diverted into increased expenditure. Strikingly similar patterns occur in ecological communities, where predator biomass typically scales sublinearly with prey biomass, indicating decreasing conversion efficiency at higher resource levels. Here, I investigate whether both patterns can be understood as consequences of shifts in energy allocation under increased resource availability. When energy becomes abundant, organisms that forage efficiently maximise their energetic power (the rate of net energy acquisition) at the cost of reduced conversion efficiency. As a result, proportionally more energy is dissipated rather than incorporated into biomass. To explore this mechanism experimentally, I use a two-species microcosm consisting of a ciliate predator (Euplotes magnicirratus) and its algal prey (Dunaliella tertiolecta). We observe sublinear predator–prey biomass scaling and show that predators increase movement speed when prey is abundant, consistent with optimisation of encounter-driven intake relative to locomotion costs. The additional expenditure reduces the energy available for biomass production, propagating individual-level allocation strategies to community-level carrying capacities. These results demonstrate how individual-level allocation decisions can propagate to population densities and carrying capacities, and suggest a common energetic basis for sublinear biomass production across biological scales.

Behavioural modulation of energy expenditure contributes to sublinear predator-prey biomass scaling

Understanding species responses to environmental changes and the potential for range shifts requires integrating both a whole-organism and molecular perspective, whilst investigating how environmental gradients shape thermal responses. Here, we did so by profiling whole-organism traits (i.e., growth, feeding rate, metabolic rate, thermal limits) and the metabolome, to investigate differences in functional trade-offs along a broad latitudinal gradient, using the intertidal gastropodLittorina littoreaas a model. We collected individuals from ten locations across a wide latitudinal gradient in the species non-native range in North America. Snails were exposed under laboratory conditions to one of 12 temperatures for 30 d, after which we characterised their phenotypes and their energy metabolisms, using a targeted metabolomics approach.
We evidence that a large portion of the metabolomic variation underlines energetic trade-offs promoting thermal tolerance at the expense of growth. Furthermore, such trade-offs appear more pronounced in the warmer locations, given that individuals from warmer regions showed generally lower metabolite levels. Last, snails from locations with lower summer temperatures accumulated metabolites associated with cellular stress responses, explaining their greater thermal tolerance and acclimation capacity. Our integrative framework indicates that snails from colder (northern) regions possess a more effective molecular “toolkit” to cope with thermal stress, which improves their thermal acclimation capacity and heat tolerance, suggesting a future species range shift northward with the progression of climate change.

Forged by cold, ready for heat: Integrating whole-organism and metabolomic phenotyping to investigate trade-offs in non-native species along latitudinal gradients.

Understanding lineage- and sex-specific responses of invasive species, such as the European green crab (Carcinus maenas), is essential for accurately assessing invasion potential across variable environments. We investigated the thermal responses of the three genetic lineages currently present in Atlantic Canada: a cold-tolerant Northern lineage originating from northern Europe, a warm-tolerant Southern lineage from the Iberian Peninsula, and their Hybrid lineage. Adult crabs from each lineage were exposed to a gradient of nine temperatures (2 to 24 ºC), which includes conditions encountered across the Pacific and Atlantic Canadian coasts. We quantified multiple performance traits: activity and aggressiveness level, metabolic rate, feeding rate, and ammonium excretion. Thermal responses varied in a trait-specific and non-additive manner according to lineage and sex. The Hybrid lineage exhibited distinct, trait-specific responses compared to the Northern and Southern lineages, particularly at thermal extremes. Our results confirm that the southern lineage is warm-adapted and the northern lineage cold-adapted.Furthermore, females generally appeared more thermally sensitive, exhibiting reduced aggressiveness and a limited capacity to adjust metabolic rates at thermal extremes, despite relatively high feeding rates. In contrast, males displayed higher and less variable aggressiveness, with little change in this trait across the temperature range tested. Inter-individual variability exhibited sex-biased patterns that depended on lineage. Overall, our results highlight that thermal performance in C. maenas results from complex interactions among temperature, lineage, and sex. Accounting for these sources of intraspecific variation improves predictions of establishment success and persistence across heterogeneous environments, providing key insight into how invasive species expand.

Trait-specific thermal responses differ between genetic lineages and sexes in the global invader Carcinus maenas

The seahorse (Hippocampus spp.) tail is a prehensile, compliant grasper controlled by unique muscle architecture and supported by a flexible body armour. Yet, the role of the skin remains elusive. Our preliminary study asks whether the collagen architecture of the skin helps explain how it grips, bends, and tightens. Using Picrosirius-Red-stained sections imaged by Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM), we extracted principal fibre direction and orientation dispersion as morphological benchmarks and compared them with uniaxial mechanical tests performed on matching anatomical regions in a separate set of specimens. On the lateral tail surface, the fibre map reveals a woven ±45° architecture, a cross-ply pattern that, under straight pull, would rotate toward the loading axis to stiffen. Yet, under wrapping or bending, it would redistribute forces around the circumference to preserve conformity and prevent local overstress. In the same lateral regions, mechanical tests show a pronounced toe-to-linear transition, which is consistent with an architecture designed to be flexible while positioning and then to harden as grip is secured. We demonstrate directional consistency between fibre orientation and regional mechanics and establish a reproducible pipeline that links previously prepared PLM benchmarks to current tests. Beyond explaining how the seahorse tail achieves damage-tolerant grasp, these findings provide actionable cues for biomimetic robotics and bioinspired fibre-fabric architectures.

Skin architecture matters for prehensility: linking seahorse skin fibre maps to mechanical response

High altitude is among the most challenging environments inhabited by endotherms, in which cold temperature increases metabolic demands while chronic hypoxia constrains aerobic metabolism and can give rise to maladaptive physiological adjustments that lead to pathology. Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension is a common maladaptive response to chronic hypoxia that results from vasoconstriction and remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature, which can induce pulmonary edema, impair gas exchange, and lead to right ventricle hypertrophy. We investigated whether deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) native to high altitude have attenuated this maladaptive response to chronic hypoxia and examined the underlying mechanisms involved. Mice from populations native to high and low altitudes were born and raised in captivity, and adults from each population were chronically exposed to warm normoxia or cold hypoxia in a full factorial design. In low-altitude mice, cold hypoxia increased right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP; a marker of pulmonary artery pressure), thickened pulmonary arteries, and induced right ventricle hypertrophy. Such effects of cold hypoxia were absent or attenuated in high-altitude mice. Ex vivo measurements of vascular function by wire myography showed that pulmonary arteries from high-altitude mice were less sensitive to vasoconstrictors (a-adrenergic agonist) and more sensitive to vasodilators (endothelium-derived nitric oxide) than low-altitude mice. These findings suggest that evolved changes in pulmonary artery function aid in attenuating hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and preserving gas exchange and thus contribute to high-altitude adaptation in deer mice.

Pulmonary adaptations attenuate hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in deer mice native to high altitude.

Reactive oxygen species are crucial signalling molecules that regulate, plant growth development and defence.With a focus onthe complex redox networks that regulate plant responses to the environment, I will discuss how ROS regulate protein and enzyme functions through the oxidation of protein thiol groups and associated redox post-translational modifications. Little is known about the ability of the nucleus to generate ROS and how nuclear ROS accumulation is regulated. Using catalase as an example, I will discuss how redox-regulated phase separation, forming membrane-less condensates through protein–protein interactions, facilitates catalase relocation to the nucleus. Using redox-proteomics approaches, we have studied how the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide during metabolism in Arabidopsis mutants lacking the major form of catalase (cat2) influences the oxidation degree of protein Cys residues.

Oxidative signalling in plants

Marine-derived foods are well established as sources of bioactive molecules that play a key role in preventing and treating chronic inflammatory diseases. Among these, bivalve mollusks such as the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) have attracted substantial interest owing to their superior nutritional profile and potential medicinal benefits. This study systematically characterized the chemical composition of soft tissue extract derived from Pacific oysters (OE) and evaluated its anti- inflammatory activity in human intestinal epithelial cells. Comprehensive nutritional analyses were conducted, including the determination of moisture, total protein, ash, total lipids, fatty acid (FA) profiles, amino acid composition, and mineral content, together with the quantification of polyphenols and carotenoids. The anti-inflammatory effects of OE were assessed at concentrations of 5, 50, and 500 μg mL−1 using a TNF-α-induced inflammatory model in Caco-2 human intestinal epithelial cells. Notably, OE effectively mitigated the TNF-α-triggered activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and prevented disruptions to epithelial barrier integrity. These findings provide robust evidence supporting the development of whole dried oyster meat as an economical nutraceutical dietary supplement. Such an approach could serve as a natural, accessible alternative for alleviating intestinal inflammation implicated in various chronic diseases.

Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) extract ameliorates TNF-α-induced inflammation via NF- κB inhibition in human Caco-2 monolayers.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder primarily caused by MECP2 mutations, manifesting with systemic redox imbalance, chronic oxidative stress and oxinflammatory features. Emerging evidence highlights impaired adaptive responses to oxidative unbalance as possible critical drivers of RTT progression. The transcription factor Forkhead box O 3a (FoxO3a) plays a pivotal role in cellular resilience, integrating signals to activate antioxidant enzymes, autophagy and apoptosis resistance pathways. Despite this, its involvement in RTT pathophysiology remains mainly uncharacterized. This study hypothesizes that aberrant PI3K/Akt–FoxO3a signaling could contribute to RTT redox homeostasis defects. Human fibroblasts from healthy controls and RTT patients underwent 16h serum starvation followed by acute H₂O₂ challenge (100 μM, 30 min) to mimic oxidative stress. AKT and FOXO3a mRNA levels were assessed by qRT-PCR, while total and phosphorylated proteins were evaluated by Western blot. Preliminary findings show robust AKT and FOXO3A transcriptional upregulation in H₂O₂-stressed controls, versus blunted, non-significant increases in RTT cells. Notably, RTT fibroblasts exhibited significant total Akt reduction post-challenge, with trends toward decreased p-Akt and total FoxO3a. Ongoing immunofluorescence analyses aim to localize FoxO3a/p-FoxO3a shuttling, while further qPCR downstream targets include SOD2 and catalase. These results implicate a role for Akt–FoxO3a dysfunction in RTT oxinflammation, proposing pathway modulation as a novel therapeutic avenue to restore redox balance and slow down progression.

Dysregulated Akt-FoxO3a axis impairs redox resilience in RTT syndrome

We present The Complete Graduate (CG), a Moodle based signposting and portfolio tool co-created with five student interns to make skills development equitable, visible and assessable across fourteen Life Science degrees at the University of Glasgow (~2,400 students). The framework integrates four domains (Knowledge, Transferable Skills, Practical Skills, Well-being), curriculum maps, embedded reflective prompts (e.g., STAR(R)) and a Practical Skills Tracking (PST) programme with formative sign-off and HEAR recognition. Implementation used automatic enrolment, staff–student communications, and annual course coordinator updates. A mixed-methods evaluation combined Moodle analytics, two online surveys (PST: n=46; CG: n=30), and a focus group (n=7). Impact: students reported greater awareness and articulation of skills and gave a median recommend score of 4/5 for the tool. Thematic analysis highlighted ‘breaking down barriers’ for time-poor students and PST completions were high (77% in 2023/24; 82% in 2024/25). We offer a scalable, portable model of authentic student engagement that embeds employability within formative assessment and the curriculum.

Title: The Complete Graduate: an easily embedded and scalable signposting and portfolio framework for celebrating growth and promoting employability 

Stomata are small pores found in the epidermal layers of the leaves, surrounded by two guard cells, which control the aperture and closure regulating gas exchange and transpiration. Changes in CO2 concentrations drive stomatal response to maintain the required levels for mesophyll carbon assimilation and to optimise water use efficiency.
Studies have identified genes implicated in CO2 stomatal signalling; however, the understanding of how these genes are regulated is incomplete. In Arabidopsis thaliana we identified a lncRNA locus (Regulator of Stomatal CO2 sensitivity - LRSC1), whose transcripts are highly enriched in guard cells compared with other leaf cell types. Remarkably, lrsc1 mutants consistently display significantly increased evapotranspiration in response to increased [CO2 ].
To answer whether mutating LRSC1 affects transcriptional responses to [CO2 ] changes, we performed RNAseq and qPCR analysis on plants grown at 480 ppm CO2 and exposed to 1000 ppm CO2 . About 2000 genes, including LRSC1, were differentially expressed at 1000 ppm in wild-type (Col-0), while in lrsc1 mutants those genes did not change expression in response to elevated CO2 . Additionally, several genes in the wider locus show [CO2 ]-induced expression changes in Col-0 but not lrsc1-1.Together, this suggests a regulatory role, either at the transcriptome level or potentially as an enhancer, for the LRSC1locus.
Finally, this investigation will help us to comprehend the mechanism by which LRSC1 regulates plant responses to increasing [CO2 ]. Understanding how plants respond to CO2 is vital to develop more resilient crops that maximise the positives of increasing [CO2 ], whilst mitigating trade-offs.

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Behavioural modulation of energy expenditure contributes to sublinear predator-prey biomass scaling

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