Lauren R. Leuner, PhD
Neuroethologist
I’m a Postdoctoral fellow in the Demas Lab at Indiana University studying the neuroendocrine mechanisms of seasonal aggression in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus).
During my PhD I assessed how contextual factors influence courtship communication in house mice, with a primary interest in how experiences with both social and physical environmental enrichment can influence how male mice interact with female partners, and how these factors may affect how they produce and respond to vocal signals.
Context is crucial for individuals to process and respond appropriately to social signals. Across my dissertation, I evaluate the role of contextual factors on multiple spectrums: internal vs external, physical vs social, and acute vs long term.
My dissertation revolved around assessing how social experiences, as well as experience with physical and/or social environmental enrichment alter sociability, social communication, and courtship behavior in Mus musculus.
Research