Grey hair is typically seen as a hallmark of human aging, appearing in mid-life and progressing steadily over time. However, in a rare population of American black bears, some individuals begin "going grey" just months after birth — a phenomenon that captured the attention of University of Memphis researcher Dr. Emily Puckett, associate professor of Biological Sciences.

 

In collaboration with colleagues at Stanford University, Puckett recently secured a grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging to investigate the genetic and cellular pathways that drive this unique trait.

 

The rare grey color variant, known as the "Glacier bear" or "siknoon" in the language of the Alaskan Native Tlingit people, means "a bear that disappears" — a nod to how these bears blend seamlessly into the rocky shorelines and icy glaciers of Southeast Alaska. Glacier bears are extraordinarily rare, comprising just an estimated 0.4% of the region’s American black bear population.

 

Through a combination of population and functional genomics, the research team aims to identify the specific genetic variants responsible for this premature greying and to understand how these variants influence cellular processes.

 

This groundbreaking work will shed new light on the molecular basis of hair greying. Given the psychological and commercial significance of greying in humans, the insights gained may lead to novel preventative approaches. Puckett emphasizes that this project exemplifies the promise of wildlife genomics — by studying a naturally occurring phenomenon in bears, researchers move closer to developing innovative human therapeutics.

 

For more information on this research, contact Puckett at puckett3@memphis.edu.