Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Social connections are essential for survival and reproduction in several animal species including humans. Vocal communication is one of the complex behaviors that animals use to form and maintain these social connections. There is a lack of systematic tools to examine how vocal interactions unfold in animal social groups while also identifying how the brain supports these interactions. We request equipment to establish two state-of-the-art audiovisual recording systems, one of which will be integrated with a unique multi-animal neural imaging platform. With this equipment we can efficiently and accurately track how freely-moving animals communicate with social partners in real time. We can also examine neural dynamics across multiple animals simultaneously to determine how brain regions are involved in the production and perception of social signals. There are several research programs at Western University that investigate vocal communication and social behavior from a variety of biological perspectives. This equipment will promote growth and interdisciplinary collaboration among these programs. Moreover, this equipment will provide novel opportunities for HQP training and the development of competitive skillsets. Collectively, the research made possible by this equipment will transform understanding of the mechanisms, development, and evolution of vocal communication in social species.