ABOUT ME
I am mainly interested in understanding how hormone systems regulate different aspects of an animal's life (e.g., their behaviour, development, physiology, etc.). Much of this work focuses on understanding how hormones coordinate adaptive responses during periods of developmental transition (e.g., metamorphosis) and following disturbances in the physical or social environment. My work often incorporates multiple disciplines (e.g., comparative physiology, molecular biology, behavioural ecology) in an effort to attain an integrative understanding of the question at hand.
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While I am currently working with frogs, I have mostly worked with fishes in the past.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Roles of Hormones During Developmental Transitions
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Many animals undergo a period of major transformation during the juvenile stage of their lives which affects their behaviour, morphology, and physiology. Several hormones—most notably, thyroid hormone (but also corticosteroids, growth hormone, and prolactin)—contribute to the regulation of these changes; however, the specific function(s) served by each hormone, as well as the relative importance of crosstalk/synergy between these hormones, remains unclear.
In my Postdoctoral research (University of Cincinnati), I am studying how corticosteroids, thyroid hormone, and leptin interact to coordinate metabolic changes occurring during metamorphosis in Xenopus tropicalis tadpoles. This work is taking advantage of the genetic tools available for this species by incorporating gene knockout approaches.
During my PhD (University of Guelph), I studied how the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system contributed to osmoregulatory changes occurring during the Parr-to-Smolt transformation in Atlantic salmon. Broadly, I used a combination of in vivo and in vitro experiments to show that the CRF system has important hypophysiotropic roles in the brain (e.g., corticotrope and thyrotrope regulation), as well as direct osmoregulatory functions in peripheral tissues (e.g., gills and intestine) during this period. Similar responses we observed following direct seawater transfer suggesting central and peripheral functions for the CRF system in response to general osmotic stressors.
Schematic of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system in teleost fish
Roles of Hormones During Environmental Stressors
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Much of my research has focused on how different environmental stressors, both physical (e.g., high ammonia, nutritional restriction, altered salinity) and social (e.g., subordination, changes in social group composition), affect the activity of hormone systems, especially corticosteroids. I have also explored whether the presence of social companions can alter stress responses (e.g., metabolic rate, cortisol production) following environmental disturbances.
Recently, I have also started to ask how environmental stressor-induced changes in the activity of specific hormone systems influences performance during periods of developmental transition (e.g., contribution of leptin when food restricted).
Schematic of experiment examining metabolic effects of social companions (Morin et al., 2024)
Behavioural Neuroendocrinology and Social Status
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I have conducted several studies aimed at better understanding the relationship between an animal’s social status and the activity of neuropeptide and endocrine systems. This work has mostly focused on a species of group-living cichlid (Neolamprologus pulcher) that lives in Lake Tanganyika, Africa. During this work we have investigated contributions by nonapeptide (arginine vasopressin and isotocin), galanin, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal systems using a combination of laboratory- and field-based studies.
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Social Functions of Visual Signals
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Lastly, while no longer a major focus of my research, I have conducted a number of studies aimed at understanding the various social functions of melanistic and carotenoid-based visual signals in cichlids and other fishes.
