Award
National Institute of Mental Health 5R01MH131861-04
Epigenetic regulation of social and behavioral plasticity in ants
Recipient
University of Pennsylvania
Award Amount
$406,250.00
Ceiling
$406,250.00
Awarded
September 16, 2025
Identifier
5R01MH131861-04
This NIH grant awarded to the University of Pennsylvania aims to study how epigenetic mechanisms regulate social behavior plasticity in ants, with implications for understanding neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders in humans.
Description
The goal of this proposal is to determine how epigenetic pathways regulate plasticity in social behaviors using the model ant Harpegnathos saltator. The study will test the hypothesis that external social cues are conveyed to chromatin by neuropeptides that regulate downstream transcription factors and associated epigenetic pathways to enable stable changes in social behavior. The research focuses on neuropeptides such as corazonin and vasopressin, and transcription factors like Kr-h1 and Fd3F, to understand their roles in social plasticity and caste transitions.