Beery Lab
Principal Investigator: Annaliese K. Beery
Institution: University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
Primary Subfield: Neuroscience
Recruitment Status: Inquire for rotation/fellowship opportunities
Research Focus
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Humans form social attachments and develop friendships throughout our lifetimes, with fundamental consequences for wellbeing. Decades of research have established the importance of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) for social bond formation with reproductive partners. In contrast, very little is known about the mechanisms supporting selective affiliation between non-mate peers. Prairie voles exhibit a human-like social structure, forming specific and selective relationships with mates and same-sex peers, unlike other laboratory rodents. The goal of this project is to understand the roles oxytocin plays in shaping the selectivity of peer relationships in prairie voles, particularly its dual functions in promoting acceptance of familiar partners and avoidance of unfamiliar individuals. We will use complementary neuropharmacological and genetic manipulations to test the necessity and sufficiency of oxytocin signaling for partner approach and stranger avoidance and aggression. We make use of natural contrasts between reproductive (mate) and non- reproductive (same-sex peer) relationships in prairie voles, as well as species comparisons between peer relationships i…
Active NIH Awards
- 5R01MH132908-03: Mechanisms supporting selective affiliation between peers (2026)
- 5R01MH132908-02: Mechanisms supporting selective affiliation between peers (2025)
- 1R01MH132908-01A1: Mechanisms supporting selective affiliation between peers (2024)
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