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Towards High-Resolution Neuro-Behavioral Quantification of Sheep in the Field to Study Complex Social Behaviors

Award Number: R34DA059514
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2024
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2026

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Towards High-Resolution Neuro-Behavioral Quantification of Sheep in the Field to Study Complex Social Behaviors - Abstract Social animals, including humans, engage in complex collective behaviors in the field. While there are simple models of collective decision making and movement that are amenable to study in traditional laboratory environments, they inevitably fail to capture the full complexity of natural behaviors as they occur in the field. Moreover, standard mammalian laboratory species either exhibit only simple social behaviors (e.g., mice) or are too challenging to house in large groups (e.g., primates). Here, we will leverage decades of extensive experience studying sheep in their normal pasture settings and during interactions between ewes and their lambs. We propose to develop a paradigm for acquiring high resolution (in space and time) measurements of individual herd members, including head-mounted devices to sense their visual sensorium. We will test these devices in existing herds maintained for agricultural study, while also developing a robust paradigm for conducting neural recording experiments. If successful this work will lay the foundation for future study of the neural circuits underlying complex collective behaviors in a large-brained highly social animal model.


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: 2025 ( Subtotal = $320,892 )
2025	2025	WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY	6100 MAIN ST	HOUSTON	TX	77005	HARRIS	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	2	8/15/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$320,892
														Subtotal = $320,892

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $363,575 )
2024	2024	WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY	6100 MAIN ST	HOUSTON	TX	77005	HARRIS	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	7/26/2024	NEW	$363,575
														Subtotal = $363,575

Grand Total All Awards = $684,467

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Towards High-Resolution Neuro-Behavioral Quantification of Sheep in the Field to Study Complex Social Behaviors

Award Number: R34DA059514

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2024

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2026

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