Exploring the world of behavior

Welcome to the Bell Lab

Credit: Brian Stauffer

Research in the Bell lab is focused on understanding why individual animals behave differently from each other. Even an individual fish, for example, behaves differently from other fish, through time and across situations. We study the proximate and ultimate causes of individual variation in threespined stickleback.

Current Research

PATERNAL CARE

BEHAVIORAL GENOMICS

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

TRANSGENERATIONAL PLASTICITY

Latest Posts

Launch of the Kellner Center for Neurogenomics, Behavior and SocietyNovember 12, 2024Today was the launch of the new Kellner Center for Neurogenomics, Behavior and Society! The Kellner Center is dedicated to studying the connection between our genes, brains, and our behavior – and how that impacts our communities. Alison is the inaugural Director of the Center. Thanks to everyone who helped to make the event a success, and stay tuned for Center-related activities! [...] Read more...

Meghan, Usan and Emma’s study manipulating oxytocin in whites and commons published in Hormones and Behavior!October 25, 2024They manipulated oxytocin via IP injection in whites and commons and found very different behavioral effects in whites and commons, suggesting that the ecotypes have diverged in their neural substrate. You can read the paper here! [...] Read more...

Bell lab featured in Quadrangle MagazineOctober 10, 2024The Bell lab ws featured in the latest issue of the LAS Quadrangle magazine! Watch this video for interviews with Annika Bagazinski, Victoria Abuwa and Alison [...] Read more...

Two accolades in April!May 15, 2024Alison was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship and elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences! These accomplishments are testament to the power of supportive colleagues and mentors and to wonderful Bell lab members past and present. [...] Read more...

Birthday partyApril 15, 2024Thanks to Bell lab members for silliness and good times at Alison’s 50th Birthday Party! [...] Read more...

Congratulations to Colby on a successful PhD defense!March 28, 2024It was a great success, and was followed by a celebration with white-common/recombination themed cupcakes (courtesy of Victoria Farrar)! [...] Read more...