Hi Reddit! We are biologists from the University of Maryland here to answer all of your bat-related questions.

Gerald (Jerry) Wilkinson is a professor in the University of Maryland Department of Biology who conducts research on social behavior, with emphasis on how genetic mechanisms may influence the outcome of evolution. He has studied several species of bats, including vampire bats, in the Neotropics and the US to understand cooperative behavior and communication. Recently, his lab has used DNA methylation to predict age in bats and discovered that extreme longevity, which has evolved in multiple bat lineages, is associated with changes in methylation near genes involved in immunity. Current projects aim to identify epigenetic changes associated with social stress, immune function, and sex differences in aging in bats.

Katherine Armenta is a third-year Ph.D. student in the University of Maryland Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics program (BEES). She is studying one of the most abundant bat species in Maryland, Eptesicus fuscus, or the big brown bat, and its communication and social behavior within and across species.

Danielle Adams is a postdoc in the Wilkinson Lab at the University of Maryland. She is studying the interactions between stress, aging, and immunity in wild bats. During her Ph.D. (UMD '19), she studied sexual selection in phyllostomid bats, a diverse family of leaf-nosed bat species found in the Neotropics. Prior to studying bats, Danielle studied vocal communication and the use of imitation in wild parrots. She also holds a master's in conservation biology (Columbia University '10).

We'll be on from 12 to 2:30 p.m. ET (16:00-18:30 UT), ask us anything!

Other links:

• Proof!
• A recent news article in The Atlantic about the implications of Jerry's research: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2022/08/bats-hibernation-anti-aging/671083/
• Research page: https://biology.umd.edu/people/gerald-wilkinson
• Google Scholar page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Yy5PenMAAAAJ&hl=en

Username: /u/umd-science