Overview
The Baugh Lab is interested in phenotypic plasticity and adaptation to starvation. We use the roundworm C. elegans for an integrative organismal approach that considers molecular mechanisms in a developmental and ecological context. We are studying how development is governed by nutrient availability, how animals survive starvation, long-term consequences of early life starvation, and multigenerational plasticity.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor of Biology
·
2023 - Present
Biology,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Associate Professor of Cell Biology
·
2022 - Present
Cell Biology,
Basic Science Departments
Affiliate of the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology
·
2019 - Present
Biology,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Affiliate of the Duke Regeneration Center
·
2021 - Present
Duke Regeneration Center,
Basic Science Departments
Recent Publications
DAF-18/PTEN protects LIN-35/Rb from CLP-1/CAPN-mediated cleavage to promote starvation resistance.
Journal Article Life science alliance · June 2025 Starvation resistance is a fundamental trait with profound influence on fitness and disease risk. DAF-18, the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of the tumor suppressor PTEN, promotes starvation resistance. PTEN is a dual phosphatase, and DAF-18 promot ... Full text CiteStructure-specific variation in per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances toxicity among genetically diverse Caenorhabditis elegans strains.
Journal Article Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology · May 2025 Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are in 99% of humans and are associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. It is impossible to test the >14,500 structurally diverse "forever chemicals" for safety, therefore improved assays to quantify stru ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Nutritional Control of Nematode Development
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2030NSF-SNSF: Molecular Mechanism of a Life-History Tradeoff between Growth and Survival
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2024 - 2027Training Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2001 - 2027View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Harvard University ·
2004
Ph.D.
University of Georgia ·
1997
B.S.