معرفی
Catherine Marler is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she leads the Marler Lab focused on the Biology of Brain and Behavior. Her research program investigates the intricate connections between endocrine systems and social behaviors, with particular emphasis on how hormones like testosterone and oxytocin shape complex social interactions in monogamous mammals.
Dr. Marler's research primarily utilizes the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) as a model organism, capitalizing on its unique monogamous, biparental, and territorial nature. Her work spans both laboratory and field settings, allowing for comprehensive investigation of neuroendocrine mechanisms in naturalistic contexts. Key research themes include the role of testosterone in territorial behavior and winner effects, oxytocin's influence on pair bonding and parental behavior, and the neural substrates of ultrasonic vocalizations.
Recent publications reveal a strong focus on conditioned place preferences related to testosterone pulses, oxytocin's effects on social behaviors across different developmental stages, and the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying aggression and pair bonding. Her work demonstrates how social experience, environmental context, and endocrine systems interact to shape complex behavioral outcomes, with particular attention to sex differences and transgenerational transmission of behaviors.
Dr. Marler has published extensively in top journals including Hormones and Behavior, Proceedings of the Royal Society, and Animal Behaviour, with her most recent work appearing in high-impact venues throughout 2023-2025. Her research program represents a sophisticated integration of behavioral observation, endocrine manipulation, and neural analysis to unravel the mechanisms underlying social behavior in mammals.
As an advisor, Dr. Marler mentors students in behavioral neuroscience and endocrinology, fostering research that bridges laboratory and field approaches to understand the evolution and mechanisms of social behavior. Her lab maintains a strong commitment to rigorous scientific methodology and innovative experimental design in the study of neuroendocrine-behavior relationships.
