Epigenetics & ageing | MAVE Lab

top of page

Epigenetics & ageing

Cetaceans are long-lived mammals with complex life histories, social systems, and behavioural traditions, yet many aspects of their ageing, health, and development remain difficult to study in the wild. This project uses epigenetic approaches, particularly DNA methylation, to estimate age and investigate how molecular variation relates to behaviour, reproduction, health, and environmental exposure in whales and dolphins. One focus has shown that a culturally transmitted foraging technique in Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins can be predicted by DNA methylation levels, highlighting the potential of epigenetic tools to reveal links between biology, behaviour, and social learning. By expanding this work to other systems, including common dolphins in New Zealand, we aim to better understand how cetaceans age, how individuals differ in life-history strategies, and how environmental and social factors shape health and survival across the lifespan.

Output & related content

Gerber L, Papageorgiou D, Sudermann M, Yousefi P, Bizzozzero M, King SL, Marfurt SM, Peters KJ, Allen SJ, Connor RC, Rollins LA, Krützen M (accepted). A culturally transmitted foraging technique in Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins can be predicted by DNA-methylation levels. Philosophical Transactions B.

Hanninger E, Barratclough A, Betty EL, Dittmer K, Saltré F, Perrott MR, Bowler J, Peters KJ, Stockin KA (2026). Cross-species applicability of a bone-aging method in Delphinids. Royal Society Open Science 13(3):252005.

Gerber L, Peters KJ, King SL, Allen SJ, Connor RC, Forbes O, Holmes KG, Kearns AM, Willems EP, Krützen M, Rollins LA (2025). Social bonds decrease epigenetic age in male bottlenose dolphins. Communications Biology 8:1765.

Hanninger E, Peters KJ, Gerber L, Barratclough A, Betty EL, Palmer E, Horvath S, Stockin K (2025). Dental aging offers new insights to the first epigenetic clock for common dolphins. Ecology and Evolution 15:e724524.

Peters KJ & Gerber, L (2024). Epigenetic clocks: Using DNA to estimate the age of dolphins. Frontiers for Young Minds.

Haghani A, ... Peters KJ, ... Horvath S (2023). DNA methylation networks underlying mammalian traits. Science 381(6658).

Lu AT, ... Peters KJ, ... Horvath S (2023). Universal DNA methylation age across mammalian tissues. Nature Aging 3:1144-1166.

Peters KJ, Gerber L, Scheu L, Cicciarella R, Zoller JA, Fei Z, Horvath S, Allen SJ, King SL, Conor RC, Rollins LA, Krützen M (2023). An epigenetic DNA methylation clock for age estimates in Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). Evolutionary Applications 16:126-133,

bottom of page