Natasha Ivonne Bloch Morel

A central challenge facing all animals and humans is to discriminate between a diverse array of social agents and respond in contextually-relevant ways5. Yet we have only started to scratch the surface on understanding how the brain can achieve this. We know that neural activity is initiated by cascades of gene expression changes, which are triggered by selected gene regulators. My research program thus focuses on identifying these key genes and understanding their role in the control of social behavior, which will help us dissect the mechanisms at the basis of behavioral control in the brain. I rely on the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), an ideal system to study social behavior, with behaviorally relevant brain regions homologous to humans1(social decision-making network). Within social behavior, I focus on mating behavior, as a clearly defined behavior, that can be controlled and manipulated in the laboratory. I have organized this project under the three following axis:·      First, I will study the proximalmechanisms of mating behavior by studying changes in gene expression across the SDMN in response to different mating stimuli. Herbert6originally introduced the idea that limited genetic elements can encode for the multiple different behaviors in different social contexts. This could be accomplished via complex spatio- temporal patterns of gene activation in different brain nuclei. I will investigate these gene expression dynamics after exposure to different social stimuli, thus dissecting how behavior is controlled in the brain and which genes act as the main regulators of social behavior in a context-appropriate manner. ·      Second, I will investigate the relationship between mating behavior and cognition, and neuroanatomy, as ultimatemechanisms underlying social behavior. Doing so will help us understand the role these factors have in driving the evolution of social behavior and its interplay with cognition. Do smarter individuals behave differently towards conspecifics? Do they choose mates in a different way? ·      Finally, I will standardize the required protocols and microsurgery required to use gene editing techniques (CRISPR-Cas9) in the guppy brain. This will include developing the appropriate microsurgery and microinjection techniques, as well as testing the specificity and efficiency of CRISPR-Cas9 vehicle injection in the brain. These protocols will allow me to continue my research beyond the tenure of the current FAPA, investigating the precise function of behavioral genes and identifying candidates to regulate behavioral disorders.  

A central challenge facing all animals and humans is to discriminate between a diverse array of social agents and respond in contextually-relevant ways5. Yet we have only started to scratch the surface on understanding how the brain can achieve this. We know that neural activity is initiated by cascades of gene expression changes, which are triggered by selected gene regulators. My research program thus focuses on identifying these key genes and understanding their role in the control of social behavior, which will help us dissect the mechanisms at the basis of behavioral control in the brain. I rely on the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), an ideal system to study social behavior, with behaviorally relevant brain regions homologous to humans1(social decision-making network). Within social behavior, I focus on mating behavior, as a clearly defined behavior, that can be controlled and manipulated in the laboratory. I have organized this project under the three following axis:·      First, I will study the proximalmechanisms of mating behavior by studying changes in gene expression across the SDMN in response to different mating stimuli. Herbert6originally introduced the idea that limited genetic elements can encode for the multiple different behaviors in different social contexts. This could be accomplished via complex spatio- temporal patterns of gene activation in different brain nuclei. I will investigate these gene expression dynamics after exposure to different social stimuli, thus dissecting how behavior is controlled in the brain and which genes act as the main regulators of social behavior in a context-appropriate manner. ·      Second, I will investigate the relationship between mating behavior and cognition, and neuroanatomy, as ultimatemechanisms underlying social behavior. Doing so will help us understand the role these factors have in driving the evolution of social behavior and its interplay with cognition. Do smarter individuals behave differently towards conspecifics? Do they choose mates in a different way? ·      Finally, I will standardize the required protocols and microsurgery required to use gene editing techniques (CRISPR-Cas9) in the guppy brain. This will include developing the appropriate microsurgery and microinjection techniques, as well as testing the specificity and efficiency of CRISPR-Cas9 vehicle injection in the brain. These protocols will allow me to continue my research beyond the tenure of the current FAPA, investigating the precise function of behavioral genes and identifying candidates to regulate behavioral disorders.  

Neurogenómica del comportamiento social en guppys Entender como el cerebro produce comportamientos apropiados en cientos de situaciones diferentes y en respuesta a estimulo variados es una de las preguntas mas fundamentales de la neurociencia. Estudiar el comportamiento animal y su evolución requiere investigar los mecanismos neuronales de la percepción y el comportamiento. En este proyecto nos enfocaremos en el guppys (Poecilia reticulata), un pequeño pez de agua dulce en el que muchos comportamientos sociales y de apareamiento han sido estudiados y descritos. El propósito de este estudio es entender las redes génicas que se activan en el cerebro durante diferentes contextos sociales, así como usar diversas técnicas de edición genética para manipular y entender la funcionalidad de los genes que regulan estas redes. Con este fin vamos a integrar genética y neurogenómica, neurociencias, etología, biología molecular y edición génica en guppys de poblaciones naturales y en el laboratorio.  Se colectarán guppys para traer al laboratorio y realizar los siguientes estudios:·      Estudiar la expresión de genes de interés en el cerebro·      Establecer un protocolo de edición génica (CRISPR-Cas9) con el fin de estudiar la función de estos genes en el control de comportamientos sociales.·      Estudiar la relación entre comportamiento social y cognición. Para este propósito se  documentará la variación natural en el tamaño del cerebro y la neuroanatomía de los guppys en diversas poblaciones del país.