Collaborative Research: Computational Models for Neuroendocrine Control of Social Behavior

该研究项目的长期目标是确定控制行为的化学信使之间的相互作用。 神经肽调节所有脊椎动物类的代表性物种的社会行为。 然而，行为的物种差异使得开发明确的机制模型变得困难。 该项目使用动物实验和计算模型相结合的方法来研究行为机制的复杂性。 野外和实验室研究将结合起来，以解决重要的新兴问题，对雄性脊椎动物行为的神经肽调制。基于代理的建模方法特别适合解决这个问题。该模型的合成实验允许探索的条件不切实际或不可能在实证检验。 该模型有望提出神经肽控制行为的新机制。 因此，该项目实现了一个严格控制的实验模型实验循环，并开发了一个新的范式，为系统生物学的方法来理解社会行为。 神经肽改变多种脊椎动物的社会行为，包括父母，攻击和生殖行为。 保守行为和化学信使将使经验结果和模型广泛适用于脊椎动物。 这一结果将极大地促进我们对神经肽在脊椎动物行为可塑性中作用的理解。该项目还包括一个重要的培训组成部分，与本科领域生物学类（与30%的少数民族化妆）的参与和研究生在一个独特的跨学科环境的培训。数据管理计划包括在SourceForge存放新软件和在PI的机构数据库中存档数字数据。

The long-term objective of this research project is to identify the interactions among chemical messengers that control behaviors. Neuropeptides regulate social behaviors in representative species from all vertebrate classes. Species differences in behavior, however, have made development of clear mechanistic models difficult. This project investigates the complexity of behavioral mechanisms using a combination of animal experiments and computational models. Field and laboratory studies will be combined to address important emerging questions on neuropeptide modulation of male vertebrate behaviors. The agent-based modeling approach is especially well-suited to address this problem. Synthetic experiments with the model allow for exploration of conditions impractical or impossible in empirical tests. The model is expected to propose novel mechanisms underlying neuropeptide control of behavior. This project thus implements a tightly controlled experiment-model-experiment loop and develops a new paradigm for a systems biology approach towards understanding social behavior. Neuropeptides alter a variety of vertebrate social behaviors, including parental, aggressive, and reproductive behaviors. Conserved behaviors and chemical messengers will make the empirical results and the model broadly applicable to vertebrates. Results will significantly advance our understanding of the effect of neuropeptides on vertebrate behavioral plasticity. This project also includes a significant training component, with involvement of an undergraduate field biology class (with a 30% minority makeup) and training of graduate students in a unique inter-disciplinary environment. The data management plan includes deposition of new software at SourceForge and archiving of digital data in the PI's institutional databases.