Rebecca Calisi

Dr. Rebecca Calisi is a Professor and award-winning biologist specializing in neuroendocrinology, animal behavior, and parental care mechanisms. Her research focuses on how environmental and social factors influence stress physiology, reproduction, and parenting behaviors in avian species, particularly rock doves (pigeons). She is a National Geographic Explorer and employs a multidisciplinary approach integrating fieldwork, molecular biology, and behavioral analyses.

Research interests include hormonal regulation of parenting, stress responses in animals, and ecological adaptations. Her work highlights sex-specific differences in endocrine systems and the neurobiological basis of parental care. She explores how captive vs. wild environments impact neuroendocrine systems, with applications to urban ecology and conservation.

Her scientific contributions include pioneering studies on prolactin’s role in parenting, corticosterone’s effects on reproductive systems, and the genomic mechanisms underlying stress responses. She has been recognized for bridging scientific research with public communication through films and journalism.

While no explicit grants or advising roles are listed in the provided texts, her work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and public engagement in science. She utilizes feral pigeons as bioindicators for urban environmental health, linking basic research to real-world ecological challenges.