Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Neural and molecular control of subordinate social status in a cichlid fish

Award Number: F32GM153130
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2024
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2025
AWARD TERMINATION DATE: 03/12/2026

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Neural and molecular control of subordinate social status in a cichlid fish - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Social stability for many species is maintained via social hierarchies, wherein displaying subordinate behavior to higher ranking individuals is key. A subordinate social rank influences the brain and behavior by altering neural circuitry and the production and signaling of neuromodulators, such as steroid hormones and neurotransmitters. For example, androgens tend to be negatively correlated with a subordinate social rank, while the neural expression of the serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) receptor is positively associated with subordinate behavior. Although clear relationships have been established between a subordinate social status, the brain, and behavior, the molecular and neural mechanisms regulating these changes are not known. A major challenge in elucidating these mechanisms is that social rank is often tied to both physiological and behavioral traits, making it difficult to distinguish the effects of neuromodulators (e.g., androgens and serotonin) on individual traits associated with social subordination. Thus, the use of novel model organisms, in which distinct traits of subordinate social status can be studied in isolation, is necessary to enhance our understanding of the neuroendocrine regulation of subordination. The proposed work will use state-of-the-art sequencing and genome editing technologies to identify genes and cell types in the brain that govern subordinate social status in the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. A. burtoni is a highly social species in which males display subordinate or dominant behavior based on social status. Recent work showed that androgen receptor (AR) mutant males generated via CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing do not exhibit distinct traits of dominant social rank. For example, ARα mutants do not perform dominant behaviors (mating or aggression), whereas ARβ mutants lack bright coloration and show reduced testes growth, making these fish an excellent tool for taxing the molecular and neural systems controlling distinct aspects of subordinate social status. In Specific Aim 1, I will identify cell types and their genetic signatures in the hypothalamus of dominant WT males and subordinate WT and AR mutant males using single-nucleus RNA sequencing. In Specific Aim 2, I will determine the role of androgens in regulating subordinate social status by measuring physiological and behavioral traits of social rank in subordinate AR mutants. Finally, in Specific Aim 3, I will generate novel mutant A. burtoni lacking the 5-HT1Aβ receptor using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to assess the role of serotoninergic signaling in governing social subordination. Based on preliminary data showing that AR and AR mutants display distinct physiological responses to social suppression, I predict these mutants will have cell type-specific gene expression patterns that mirror different aspects of subordination. Moreover, given the known relationship between androgen and serotoninergic signaling, I expect to observe contrasting deficits in physiological and behavioral traits of subordination in AR and 5-HT1Aβ mutants that reveal the roles of these systems in controlling subordinate social status. Collectively, these studies will yield important insights into the basic neural and molecular mechanisms that regulate subordination in social animals, including humans.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = -$47,456 )
2026	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	3	4/22/2026	TERMINATION	$0
2026	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	3	3/12/2026	TERMINATION	-$47,456
														Subtotal = -$47,456

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $74,284 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	002	3	4/17/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$74,284
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD	HOUSTON	TX	77204	HARRIS	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	003	1	5/27/2025	NEW	$0
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD	HOUSTON	TX	77204	HARRIS	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	1	12/6/2024	NEW	-$45,566
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	2	12/9/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$45,566
														Subtotal = $74,284

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $73,828 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD	HOUSTON	TX	77204	HARRIS	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	1	12/21/2023	NEW	$69,080
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD	HOUSTON	TX	77204	HARRIS	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	002	1	6/4/2024	NEW	$4,748
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD	HOUSTON	TX	77204	HARRIS	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	1	12/21/2023	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $73,828

Grand Total All Awards = $100,656

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Neural and molecular control of subordinate social status in a cichlid fish

Award Number: F32GM153130

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2024

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2025

AWARD TERMINATION DATE: 03/12/2026

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer