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.

该行动资助 2021 财年 NSF 生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大生物学领域代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持该研究员的研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。这项拟议的研究调查了当年轻人离开家人开始作为独立成年人的生活（分散）时大脑会发生什么变化。并非所有个体都会分散，分散决策的变化会影响社会个体的状态，以及生存率、繁殖成功率等。了解某些个体（而非其他个体）分散的原因对于哺乳动物（包括人类）生物学的许多方面至关重要。然而，人们对扩散的神经学基础知之甚少。这项研究将是第一个将实验室研究和模拟自然环境的野外研究结合起来的研究，以探索传播的神经科学。该研究员将获得尖端神经科学工具的技术培训，同时通过建立支持网络并为代表性不足的少数博士后规划研讨会来增加生物学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。这项研究调查了群体 tuco-tucos (Ctenomys sociabilis) 的扩散，它们在扩散方面表现出种内差异。即使在同一窝的雌性中，扩散决策的变化也为研究哺乳动物扩散决策的神经机制创造了一个不寻常且重要的机会。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，并且当个体从幼年过渡到成年时，这两种内分泌系统都表现出可塑性。将通过量化与扩散相关的形态和行为特征（例如体型、社交性下降）、催产素和多巴胺受体密度和分布的特征（受体放射自显影）、催产素和多巴胺基因表达的转录组分析（RNAseq）以及监测体内多巴胺神经活动（纤维）来确定圈养动物的扩散预测因子。 光度测定）。在描述了与圈养个体扩散相关的神经内分泌途径后，该研究员将尝试预测半圈养雌性的扩散行为，这些雌性被安置在半自然的围栏中，因此受到物种典型的选择压力。该研究员将掌握 RNAseq 和光纤光度测定等技术。该研究员还将为代表性不足的少数族裔博士后建立一个支持网络，方法是促进每两周一次的同行指导圈，提供一个安全的空间来讨论挑战和集体思维解决方案，并为博士后组织年度研讨会，由代表性不足的少数族裔教师就学术界和替代职业进行专题讨论会和研讨会。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并已被 通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，认为值得支持。

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.