NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Determining behavioral, neuroendocrine, and genetic predictors of dispersal in colonial tuco-tucos

2021 财年 NSF 生物学博士后奖学金：确定殖民地 tuco-tucos 传播的行为、神经内分泌和遗传预测因素

• 批准号: 2109718
• 负责人: Nicole Lee
• 金额: $ 13.8万
• 依托单位: Lee, Nicole
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-06-01 至 2024-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2109718&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Postdoctoral; Fellowship; Biology; FY

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The Fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The proposed research investigates what changes in the brain when young adults leave their families to begin their lives as independent adults (dispersal). Not all individuals disperse, and variation in dispersal decisions affects how social individuals are, as well as survival rate, reproductive success, and more. Understanding the reasons why some individuals, but not others, disperse is critical to many facets of mammalian—including human—biology. Yet, not much is known about the neurological underpinnings of dispersal. This research will be the first to combine studies in the laboratory and in field enclosures that simulate natural environments to explore the neuroscience of dispersal. The Fellow will gain technical training in cutting-edge neuroscientific tools while increasing the participation of groups underrepresented in biology by developing a support network and planning a symposium for underrepresented minority postdocs. This research investigates dispersal in colonial tuco-tucos (Ctenomys sociabilis), which exhibit within-species differences in dispersal. Variation in dispersal decisions, even within females from the same litter, creates an unusual and important opportunity to examine the neural mechanisms that contribute to dispersal decisions in mammals. Oxytocin and dopamine have been shown to be associated with differences in social behavior in other rodent species, and both endocrine systems exhibit plasticity as individuals transition from juveniles to adults. Predictors of dispersal will be determined in captive animals by quantifying morphological and behavioral features linked to dispersal (e.g. body size, decreased sociality), characterization of oxytocin and dopamine receptor density and distribution (receptor autoradiography), transcriptomic analyses of oxytocin and dopamine gene expression (RNAseq), and monitoring of in vivo dopamine neural activity (fiber photometry). Having characterized neuroendocrine pathways associated with dispersal in captive individuals, the Fellow will attempt to predict the dispersal behavior of semi-captive females, housed in semi-natural enclosures and therefore subject to species-typical selective pressures. The Fellow will master techniques including RNAseq and fiber photometry. The Fellow will also develop a support network for underrepresented minority postdocs, by facilitating biweekly peer mentoring circles to provide a safe space to discuss challenges and hive-mind solutions, and organizing an annual symposium for postdocs with panels and workshops by underrepresented minority faculty on navigating academia and alternative careers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这项行动资助了2021财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大了生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该研究金支持研究员的一项研究和培训计划，该计划将增加在生物学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。这项拟议中的研究调查了当年轻人离开他们的家庭开始开始他们作为独立成年人的生活时大脑的变化（分散）。并不是所有的个体都会分散，分散决策的变化会影响社会个体的生活方式，以及生存率、繁殖成功率等。理解为什么有些个体，而不是其他个体，分散的原因对包括人类生物学在内的许多方面都至关重要。然而，人们对扩散的神经基础知之甚少。这项研究将是第一个联合收割机在实验室和野外围栏中模拟自然环境的研究，以探索扩散的神经科学。该研究员将获得尖端神经科学工具的技术培训，同时通过开发支持网络和计划为代表性不足的少数民族博士后举办研讨会，增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。本研究探讨扩散在殖民tuco-tucos（Ctenomys sociabilis），表现出种内差异的扩散。分散决策的变化，即使在同一窝的女性，创造了一个不寻常的和重要的机会，研究神经机制，有助于在哺乳动物的分散决策。催产素和多巴胺已被证明与其他啮齿动物物种的社会行为差异有关，并且这两种内分泌系统在个体从青少年过渡到成年时表现出可塑性。通过量化与扩散相关的形态和行为特征（例如，体型、社交性降低）、催产素和多巴胺受体密度和分布的表征（受体放射自显影）、催产素和多巴胺基因表达的转录组学分析（RNAseq）以及体内多巴胺神经活性的监测（纤维光度法），在圈养动物中确定扩散的预测因子。具有特征的神经内分泌途径与分散在圈养的个人，研究员将试图预测半圈养女性的分散行为，住在半自然的外壳，因此受到物种典型的选择压力。该研究员将掌握包括RNAseq和光纤测光在内的技术。该研究员还将为代表性不足的少数民族博士后建立一个支持网络，通过促进双周同行指导圈，提供一个安全的空间来讨论挑战和蜂巢思维解决方案，并为博士后组织年度研讨会，由代表性不足的少数民族教师举办关于学术和替代职业的小组和研讨会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的学术价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

项目成果

Peer Social Environment Impacts Behavior and Dopamine D1 Receptor Density in Prairie Voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.02.002
• 发表时间: 2023-02-26
• 期刊: NEUROSCIENCE
• 影响因子: 3.3
• 作者: Lee, Nicole S.;Kim, Claire Y.;Beery, Annaliese K.
• 通讯作者: Beery, Annaliese K.