MSc. Arctic Animal physiology

MSc. Arctic Animal physiology at the Arctic University of Norway (UiT) – 2 years

The Master`s discipline in Arctic animal physiology focuses on physiological adaptations to life at high latitudes in fishes, birds and mammals. Particular emphasis is placed on how these animals cope with the climatic variability, extreme light-dark cycles and large seasonal fluctuations in food quality and intake that are all typical of their environment. Physiological adaptations of diving birds and mammals, which are abundant at high-latitudes, also represents an important topic.

Photo credit: Erling Nordøy (Professor, UiT)

Students will be introduced to and given the opportunity to specialize within many aspects of animal physiology (e.g., chronobiology, endocrinology, reproductive physiology, thermoregulation, nutrition/digestion, cardiovascular physiology, fasting physiology/energetics), with approaches spanning from studies of molecular and cellular/subcellular mechanisms, to integrative, whole-animal studies that may be conducted in the field or as experimental studies in the laboratory (or as a combination of these). For this purpose, specialized laboratories and approved research animal facilities, where relevant species of fishes, birds and mammals are maintained, and are available.

Photo credit: Vebjørn Melum (PhD student, UiT)

The setting of UiT offers an outstanding quality of life for those that enjoy wildlife and outdoor activities, in close vicinity to an urban and international city.

Students will be hosted in the Research Group Arctic Chronobiology and Physiology. Please contact members of staff directly to discuss possible research projects and see our research project area list below. 

To apply for the Masters program please visit the university website pages for Arctic animal physiology masters : https://tinyurl.com/ybes5ut6

International application deadline: December 1st for admission to the autumn semester. No tuition fees.

Nordic countries application deadline: April 15th for admission to the autumn semester and November 1st for admission to the spring semester.

 

Areas of research for MSc projects

 

Chronobiology (Wood, Hazlerigg, Jorgensen)

• Hibernation physiology and timing (Golden hamster, European hamster)
• Maternal programming in small rodents (Voles, Sibernian hamsters)
• Circadian timekeeping in the Arctic (Available for various arctic species including seals, reindeer and ptarmigan)
• Seasonal control of smoltification in Atlantic salmon 
• Fasting without being hungry; neuroendocrine mechanisms governing winter anorexia in the anadromous Arctic charr​
• Seasonal control of reproduction in Arctic charr
• Seasonal control of appetite and food intake in Arctic species 
• Seasonal regulation of the immune system (Available for various arctic species including seals, reindeer, ptarmigan and fish)
• Seasonal wound healing capacity and antler cycling in reindeer
• Cross talk between hypoxia and circadian clocks (either in diving mammals or hibernating hamsters)

Energetics (Nordøy)

• Milk composition and daily mass increase of lactating harp- and hooded seal pups in an unstable environment – the pack ice of the Greenland Sea (Nordøy)
• Validation of the tritiated water method for determining body composition in adult harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus) (Nordøy)

Temperature regulation (Folkow, Wood)

• Role of nasal / respiratory heat exchange for body heat and water conservation in Svalbard ptarmigan 
• Insulating properties of ptarmigan plumage - species/sub-species and seasonal differences 
• Developmental loss of brown fat in reindeer 
• Regulation of brown fat during in hibernation 

Diving physiology (Folkow)

• Brain capillary density in the harp and hooded seal brain 
• Mitochondrial densities in neurons and glia cells in the hooded seal

For more info contact:
Prof. Lars P. Folkow lars.folkow@uit.no 

Prof. David Hazlerigg david.hazlerigg@uit.no

Prof. Even H. Jørgensen even.jorgensen@uit.no

Prof. Erling S. Nordøy erling.nordoy@uit.no

Prof. Monica A. Sundset monica.a.sundset@uit.no 

Dr. Shona Wood shona.wood@uit.no

  

List of previous MSc theses from our group can be found here