Birds & Brains
Studying reproductive neuroendocrinology at the level of the genome in avian models
Neurogenomics of Parental Care
|
|
What makes a parent behave like one?
Important changes in behavior occur when we become parents. For animals that exhibit parental care, raising offspring successfully involves transitioning from aggressive and sexual behaviors to more caring and nurturing ones. However, we have much to learn concerning how the brain mediates this transition. The B3 Lab is working to understand the relationship between changes in neural genomic activity and parental care behaviors. By doing so, we are significantly increasing our understanding of how organisms reproduce and, when they can't, how to help them.
Important changes in behavior occur when we become parents. For animals that exhibit parental care, raising offspring successfully involves transitioning from aggressive and sexual behaviors to more caring and nurturing ones. However, we have much to learn concerning how the brain mediates this transition. The B3 Lab is working to understand the relationship between changes in neural genomic activity and parental care behaviors. By doing so, we are significantly increasing our understanding of how organisms reproduce and, when they can't, how to help them.
Stress & Reproductive Neuroendocrinology
|
|
How does stress affect reproduction?
It is well known that stress can negatively affect sexual behavior and reproduction. However, the mechanisms behind this inhibition are not well understood. The B3 Lab investigates how stress affects genomic activity in a relatively conserved vertebrate biological system vital for reproduction - the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. By doing so, we are advancing stress and reproductive research, with the potential for devising future therapeutic strategies to ameliorate stress-induced reproductive dysfunction.
It is well known that stress can negatively affect sexual behavior and reproduction. However, the mechanisms behind this inhibition are not well understood. The B3 Lab investigates how stress affects genomic activity in a relatively conserved vertebrate biological system vital for reproduction - the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. By doing so, we are advancing stress and reproductive research, with the potential for devising future therapeutic strategies to ameliorate stress-induced reproductive dysfunction.
Environmental Health Biology
|
|
How do animals respond to a rapidly changing environment?
The B3 Lab studies how human-induced changes in the environment affect animal behavior, neurobiology, and reproductive endocrinology. The results of our studies can inform measures to assess, strategize, and potentially circumvent the negative impacts of environmental contaminants on human and wildlife communities.
The B3 Lab studies how human-induced changes in the environment affect animal behavior, neurobiology, and reproductive endocrinology. The results of our studies can inform measures to assess, strategize, and potentially circumvent the negative impacts of environmental contaminants on human and wildlife communities.
Publications
- Ernst, D.K., Chintamen, S., Dickens, M., Calisi, R.M. 2019. Differential influence of captive housing environments on zebra finch stress and physiology. Hormones and Behavior (under revision).
- Ligocki, I.Y., Munson, A., Farrar, V., Viernes, R., Sih, A., Connon, R.E., Calisi, R.M. 2019. Ecologically relevant concentrations of bifenthrin affect the expression of estrogen and glucocorticoid receptors in brains of female western mosquitofish. Aquatic Toxicology. 209:121-131. (pdf).
- Wilsterman, K., McGuire, N.L., Calisi, R.M. and Bentley, G.E. 2019. Seasonality: Hormones and Behavior, Breed, MD and Moore, J., (ed), Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, Second Addition. Vol. 3, Oxford Academic Press. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M., Austin, S., Lang, A., MacManes, M. 2018. Sex-biased transcriptomic response of the reproductive axis to stress. Hormones and Behavior. 100, 56-68. COVER. (pdf)
- Ondrasek, N.R., Freeman, S.M., Saldana, E., Orellana Bonilla, I., Bales, K.L. and Calisi, R.M. 2018. Nonapeptide receptor distributions in promising avian models for social neuroecology. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00713 (pdf).
- MacManes, M., Austin, S., Lang, A., Booth, A. Farrar, V. and Calisi, R.M. 2017. Transcriptomics reveals patterns of sexually dimorphic gene expression in an avian hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Scientific Reports. 7:45125. (pdf)
- Bentley, G.E., Wilsterman, K., Ernst, D., Lynn, S., Dickens, M., Calisi, R.M., Kaufer, D., Geraghty, A., Kangas, K., McGuire, N., Tsutsui, K., 2017. Neural versus gonadal GnIH: are they independent systems? A mini-review. Integrative and Comparative Biology. (pdf)
- Pollack, L.*, Ondrasek, N., Calisi, R.M. 2017. Urban health and ecology: the promise of an avian biomonitoring tool. Current Zoology. 63:205-212. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M., Chintamen, S.*, Ennin, E.*, Kriegsfeld, L.J., Rosenblum, E.B. 2017. Neuroanatomical evolution in response to a changing environment. Journal of Herpetology. 51:258-262. (pdf)
- Wingfield, J.C., Perfito, N., Calisi, R.M., Bentley, G., Ubuka, T., Mukai, M., O’Brien, S., Tsutsui, K. 2016. Putting the brakes on reproduction: Implications for conservation, global climate change and biomedicine. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 227: 16-26. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M., Geraghty, A., Avila, A.*, Kaufer, D., Bentley, G.E., Wingfield, JC. 2016. Patterns of hypothalamic GnIH change over the reproductive period in starlings and rats. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 237: 140-146. COVER. (pdf)
- Cai, F.* and Calisi, R.M. 2016. Seasons and neighborhoods of high lead toxicity in New York City: the feral pigeon as a bioindicator. Chemosphere, 161: 274-279. (pdf)
- Wingfield, J.C., Krause, J.S., Perez, J.H., Chmura, H.E., Németh, Z., Word, K.R., Calisi, R.M., Meddle, SL. 2015. A mechanistic approach to understanding range shifts in a changing world: What makes a pioneer? General and Comparative Endocrinology, 222: 44-53. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M. and MacManes, M. 2015. RNAseq-ing a more integrative understanding of animal behavior. Current Opinions in Behavioral Sciences, 6: 65-68. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M. and Saldanha, C. 2015. Neurohormones, brain and behavior: A comparative approach to understanding rapid neuroendocrine action. Integrative and Comparative Biology. (pdf)
- Amorín, N.* and Calisi, R.M. 2015. Measurements of Neuronal Soma Size and Estimated Peptide Concentrations in Addition to Cell Abundance Offer a Higher Resolution of Seasonal and Reproductive Influences of GnRH-I and GnIH in European Starlings. Journal of Integrative and Comparative Biology. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M. 2014. An integrative overview of the role of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone in behavior using Tinbergen’s four questions. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 203: 95-105. (pdf)
- Hofmann, H., Rubenstein, D.R., Akcay, E., Alonzo, S., Archie, B., Beery, A., Calisi, R.M., Carleton, K., Chow, B., Dubnau, J., Elekonich, M.M., Grozinger, C.M., Ketterson, E., Leifer, A., Links, T., Mendelson, T., MacManes, M., Martin, L., McGraw, K., McGraw, L., O’Connell, L., Ophir, A.G., RemageHealey, L., Renn, S., Roth, T.C., Tung, J., Woolley, S. 2014. New frontiers for the integrative study of animal behavior. National Science Foundation White Paper. (pdf)
- Bentley, G.E., Perfito, N., and Calisi, R.M. 2013. Season- and context- dependent sex differences in melatonin receptor activity in a forebrain song control nucleus: comparison of data from the laboratory and semi-natural environment. Hormones and Behavior, 63(5): 829-835. COVER. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M., Knudsen, D., Krause, J., Wingfield, J.C., Gentner, T.Q. 2013. Estradiol differentially affects auditory recognition and learning according to photoperiodic state in the adult male songbird, European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). PeerJ. (pdf)
- Perfito, N., Young Jeong, S.*, Silverin, B., Calisi, R.M., Bentley, G.E., Hau, M. 2012. Anticipating spring: wild populations of great tits (Parus major) differ in expression of key genes for photoperiodic time measurement. PLoS One, 7(4): e34997. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M., Díaz-Muñoz, S.L., Wingfield, J.C., Bentley, G.E. 2011. Social and breeding status are associated with recently discovered GnIH. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 10(5): 557-564. COVER. (pdf)
- McGuire, N.L., Calisi, R.M. and Bentley, G.E. 2010. Seasonality: Hormones and behavior, Breed, MD and Moore, J., (ed), Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, Vol. 3, Oxford Academic Press, pp. 108-118. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M. 2010. Gonadotropin inhibitory hormone: New insights into the neuroendocrinology of stress and social conditions. Doctoral Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, UMI Dissertation Publishing, UMI 3413543. (pdf)
- Bentley, G.E., Ubuka, T., McGuire, N.L., Calisi, R.M., Perfito, N., Kriegsfeld, L.J., Wingfield, J.C. and Tsutsui, K. 2009. GnIH: A Multifunctional Neuropeptide. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 21: 276-281. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M., and Bentley, G.E. 2009. Lab and field experiments: are they the same animal? Hormones and Behavior 56, 1-10. Ranked as a "Hot Article" in Faculty of 1000. (pdf)
- Ubuka, T., McGuire, N.L., Calisi, R.M., Perfito, N. and Bentley, G.E. 2008. The control of reproductive physiology and behavior by gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 48(5): 560-569. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M., Rizzo, N.O.*, Bentley, G.E. 2008. Seasonal differences in hypothalamic EGR-1 and GnIH expression following capture-handling stress in house sparrows (Passer domesticus). General and Comparative Endocrinology, 157(3): 283-287. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M., Malone, J.H., Hews, D.K. 2008. Female secondary coloration in the Mexican boulder spiny lizard (Sceloporus pyrocephalus) is associated with nematode load. Journal of Zoology, 276: 358-367. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M. and Hews, D.K. 2007. Steroid correlates of multiple color traits in the spiny lizard, Sceloporus pyrocephalus. Journal of Comparative Physiology, 177(6): 641-654. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M. 2006. Proximate and ultimate mechanisms associated with female coloration in the Mexican boulder spiny lizard, Sceloporus pyrocephalus. Master's Thesis, University of Texas, Arlington, University of Texas Publishing Press, 4396 2. (pdf)
- Calisi, R.M. 2005. Variation in Bidder's organ volume is attributable to reproductive status in Bufo woodhousii. Journal of Herpetology, 39(4): 656-659. (pdf)