Project title
Investigating Sex-Specific Immune Responses in Parhyale hawaiensis Under Multiple Stressors
Project abstract
Anthropogenic stressors, including climate change, pollution, and shifting population dynamics, are increasingly threatening marine ecosystems worldwide, particularly in tropical estuarine environments. Understanding how organisms respond physiologically to multiple stressors is therefore essential for assessing ecosystem health and resilience. In crustaceans, the immune system acts as a primary defence against pathogens, xenobiotics, and abiotic change; however, baseline immune activity and responses to combined stressors remain poorly understood in many species. This project focuses on Parhyale hawaiensis, an emerging model organism with significant potential for ecotoxicological research in tropical marine systems. By characterising haemocyte activity and broader immune responses under multiple stressor conditions, this study aims to establish foundational immunological data for the species and investigate variation in response across treatments. The project will also consider sex-specific effects on immune function, providing insight into how environmental pressures influence organismal health, ecological resilience, and population stability.