NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Neural integration of acoustic signals across reproductive states

这项行动资助了2020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。这项工作研究了生殖状态如何影响大脑处理对社会决策重要的听觉信号的方式。动物交流信号包括大量的声音元素，这些声音元素随着时间的推移而迅速变化。这些听觉元素在一只动物中的变化可以显著影响另一只动物对该动物行为的反应。这个项目将产生一个更好的理解激素如何改变神经元整合声音的方式，以驱动动物的选择，并最终，社会行为。该研究员还将通过资源开发和与残疾人的外联活动扩大参与。青蛙是声学专家，它们利用这些信号做出对它们生存至关重要的决定。特别是，科普的灰树蛙（Hyla chrysoscelis）在大型合唱团，其中女性利用光谱变化，时间模式和空间线索，以区分物种和交配选择。该项目测试的假设，激素调节这种行为反应，通过调节神经元的活动在圆枕（TS，中脑区同源下丘），一个区域的重要感觉整合。本工作将采用一系列的电生理实验来研究TS神经元的感觉加工。首先，这个项目将研究女性在倾听男性信号时随着时间的推移声学整合的机制。第二，该项目将研究雌激素对这种声音整合的急性影响，预测雌激素治疗将导致神经元反应的状态依赖性调制，这将推动女性交配决策。这项工作的一个主要组成部分是为残疾学生创造科学学习和创造力的机会，以及开发工具来增强他们在STEM实验室的经验。该奖学金将使罗德里格斯-圣地亚哥博士能够实现她的博士后培训和职业发展目标，同时扩大残疾学生在科学领域的参与和包容。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智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, 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. This work examines how reproductive state affect the way in which the brain processes auditory signals important for social decision making. Animal communication signals comprise a large number of sound elements which change rapidly over time. How these auditory elements change in one animal can significantly influence how another animal responds to that animal’s behavior. This project will generate a greater understanding of how hormones modify the way neurons integrate sounds in order to drive animal choice, and, ultimately, social behavior. The Fellow will also broaden participation through resource development and outreach to individuals with disabilities. Frog species are acoustic specialists that use these signals to make decisions important for their survival. In particular, Cope’s grey treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) communicates in large choruses, where females exploit spectral variation, temporal patterning, and spatial cues to differentiate between species and make mating choices. This project tests the hypothesis that hormones modulate this behavioral response by regulating neuronal activity in the torus semicircularis (TS, midbrain area homologous to the inferior colliculus), a region important for sensory integration. This work will employ a series of electrophysiological experiments to investigate the sensory processing of neurons in the TS. First, this project will examine the mechanisms of acoustic integration over time in females as they listen to male signals. Second, the project will examine the acute effects of estrogen on such acoustic integration, with the prediction that estrogen treatment will result in state-dependent modulations of neuronal responses that will drive female mating decisions. A major component of this work is creating opportunities for scientific learning and creativity for students with disabilities in addition to developing tools to enhance their experience in STEM labs. This fellowship will allow Dr. Rodriguez-Santiago to fulfill her postdoctoral training and career development goals while broadening the participation and inclusion of students with disabilities in science.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.