I am a graduate student in Dr. Karen Bales’ Laboratory for Comparative Neurobiology of Monogamy at the University of California, Davis. I am broadly interested in better understanding the mechanisms driving monogamy in non-human primates. Specifically, I plan on analyzing the effects of acute manipulations of intranasal arginine-vasopressin and oxytocin on stress response and pair bonding in coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). In addition to researching the neurobioloigical factors influencing monogamous behavior (e.g. preference for a familiar partner, distress upon separation, and mate-guarding), I plan on also studying how early-life experiences and partner interactions influence behavior.
As an undergraduate, I studied population
ecology trends in reptiles and amphibians in Dr. Michael Dorcas’ Herpetology Laboratory at Davidson College. One of my main projects focused on calculating survivorship and recruitment of semi-aquatic turtle populations in the southeastern US. Under Dr. Dorcas’ mentorship, I published three papers, wrote several successful grant proposals, and presented my findings at scientific meetings and local venues.
After graduating with a B.S. in Biology, I worked as a research/field technician in Dr. Emily Moriarty Lemmon’s lab Florida State University studying female chorus frog (Pseudacris feriarum) mate choice. I performed preference tests by presenting synthesized conspecific and heterospecific
calls to female chorus frogs in soundproof phonotaxis chambers. I also analyzed sound degradation through various environments to test the sensory drive hypothesis, and captured specimens for genetic analyses.
After FSU, I worked as a research specialist at Emory University’s Yerkes National Primate Research Center. At Yerkes, I worked as part of a team to manage primate colony socializations and specimen collections by overseeing social introductions in colonies, recording dominance observations, and collecting and processing blood samples. I was especially involved with introductions of male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to breeding colonies and spent hours watching and recording social interactions. Working at Yerkes convinced me that I wanted to conduct research on reproductive strategies, focusing specifically on factors driving pair bonding in monogamous species.
Recent Publications
Relationships between cortisol and urinary androgens in female titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2021
Parenting costs time: Changes in pair bond maintenance across pregnancy and infant rearing in a monogamous primate (Plecturocebus cupreus). New Dir Child Adolesc Dev. 2021
What is a pair bond? Horm Behav. 2021
Compositional variation in early-life parenting structures alters oxytocin and vasopressin 1a receptor development in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). J Neuroendocrinol. 2021
Biobehavioral organization shapes the immune epigenome in infant rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta). Brain Behav Immun. 2021
Cannabinoid receptor Type 1 densities reflect social organization in Microtus. J Comp Neurol. 2021
Pharmacological Prevention of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal in a Pregnant Guinea Pig Model. Front Pharmacol. 2021