Katy J. Califf, PhD 2013
My research interests involve the integration of behavioral ecology and genetics in the service of conservation. I am interested in investigating aspects of animal behavior such as patterns of association including mating, kinship and cooperation via genetic analysis. I aim to investigate how relationships between animals (such as kin or mates) influence the genetic diversity within and between populations, and how in turn this genetic diversity influences choices such as cooperation and mating. One possible dissertation topic I may pursue is investigating the mechanisms of mate choice in spotted hyenas as revealed by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), a gene complex integral in immune response in vertebrates, and shown to be involved in mate choice and kin recognition in many vertebrates. I hope in the future to incorporate this data with ongoing immunological studies to investigate the mechanisms by which high diversity is maintained at these gene loci in hyenas. Katy's email is kcaliff@gmail.com. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Northern Arizona. Her website is here: https://www.msu.edu/~califfka/ |
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