ECR Spotlight is a series of interviews with early-career authors from a selection of papers published in Journal of Experimental Biology and aims to promote not only the diversity of early-career researchers (ECRs) working in experimental biology but also the huge variety of animals and physiological systems that are essential for the ‘comparative’ approach. Soren Coulson is an author on ‘ Regulation of muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and fuel use during exercise in high-altitude deer mice’, published in JEB. Soren conducted the research described in this article while an MSc student in Grant McClelland's lab at McMaster University. He is now a PhD student in the lab of James Staples and Christopher Guglielmo at Western University, London, Ontario, investigating comparative exercise energetics.
Soren Coulson
How did you become interested in biology?
My interest in biology began during my early childhood, sparked by a fascination with the natural world and driven by nature documentaries and dinosaur books. I was always curious about how living organisms function and interact with their environment. As I delved deeper into biology during my undergraduate studies, I became particularly captivated by comparative physiology. Understanding how different organisms have adapted their physiological processes to thrive in various environments fascinated me. I was intrigued by the diversity of life strategies and how studying these differences could reveal fundamental biological principles. My coursework and research projects allowed me to explore topics such as thermoregulation in desert animals, respiratory adaptations in aquatic species, and the unique metabolic pathways in extreme environments. Each discovery and experiment fueled my enthusiasm and solidified my desire to contribute to the field. Today, my interest has evolved into a specific focus on comparative exercise physiology. I'm fascinated by how various species have adapted to optimize their physical performance and endurance.
Describe your scientific journey and your current research focus
During my undergraduate studies, I joined Dr Grant McClelland's lab to study physiological adaptations in deer mice native to high altitude environments. At first, I helped as a volunteer with the analysis of transmission electron micrographs of muscle and helped prepare left ventricle samples for high-resolution respirometry experiments. I used this technique for my honours thesis for assessing mitochondrial function in brown adipose tissue. I stayed in the McClelland lab for my MSc studies, where I investigated adaptations in carbohydrate oxidation during exercise in deer mice. Currently, I am finishing my PhD under the supervision of Drs James Staples and Christopher Guglielmo, where my thesis research is on mitochondrial adaptations in endurance locomotion, using migratory songbirds as a model system. My current research focus is to uncover physiological adaptations used by diverse animals to overcome the challenges of exercise in extreme conditions.
How would you explain the main findings/message of your paper to a member of the public?
The focus of this study was to investigate how deer mice native to high altitudes can burn more carbohydrates during running exercise compared to low altitude mice. Oxygen is scarce at high altitude and burning carbohydrates for energy requires less energy than other fuels, so a high reliance on carbohydrates is likely beneficial for alpine animals. To investigate how carbohydrate metabolism changes during exercise, we measured the activation of one protein in muscle that determines how quickly carbohydrates are burned. We found that mice exposed to high altitude conditions had greater activation of this protein during exercise than mice that were exposed to low altitude conditions. We also found that mice exposed to high altitude conditions had lower abundance of a regulatory protein that slows carbohydrate use during exercise. These findings show us that exposure to high altitude conditions changes muscle metabolism in deer mice to support greater usage of carbohydrates during exercise.
Why did you choose JEB to publish your paper?
JEB is a leading journal in the field of comparative physiology that consistently publishes quality work, with a reliable and robust peer-review process. JEB and The Company of Biologists are supportive of early career researchers and improvements in access to scientific knowledge by diverse groups. I have previous positive experiences publishing work from my honours thesis (jeb242279) and PhD dissertation (jeb246849) in JEB. I look forward to my next opportunity to publish with JEB.
What do you enjoy most about research, and why?
I most enjoy the element of surprise in research. While it may feel gratifying to find a result that supports a hypothesis, unexpected findings have the potential to significantly change our understanding of a given topic and may be especially impactful. In essence, unexpected findings highlight the importance of maintaining an open and curious mindset in scientific research. Embracing the unexpected can lead to paradigm shifts, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and ultimately advance human knowledge in ways that carefully planned experiments may not.
Do you have a top tip for others just starting out at your career stage?
Establish the habit of making time for yourself. This includes time set aside for hobbies, exercise, family time, etc. It may seem wise to make sacrifices in your personal life to allow for more time spent working in the lab or writing, but this strategy is not viable in the long-term. Setting aside time for your personal life is essential for supporting health, well-being and overall happiness. These aspects are critical for living a fulfilling life while also helping to avoid burnout which ultimately will improve professional success.
Soren Coulson's contact details: Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada, N6A 3K7.
E-mail: [email protected]