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.

Why stickleback?

Current Research

Male poking nest

PATERNAL CARE

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Brain slice HE stain

BEHAVIORAL GENOMICS

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Emerging from shelter

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

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6hr embryos

TRANSGENERATIONAL PLASTICITY

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Latest Posts
Congratulations to Dr. Meghan Maciejewski on successfully defending her PhD thesis, “THE NEURAL AND HORMONAL BASIS OF THE LOSS OF PARENTAL CARE IN THREESPINE STICKLEBACK”April 25, 2025Male commons are tending embryos in their nest; male whites have dispersed them! Cupcakes decorated by Victoria Farrar [...] Read more...
Anjali Tibutan presents at the IGB Research SymposiumApril 23, 2025Anjali presenting her poster [...] Read more...
Congratulations to Annika, Victoria and Salvi on their Distinction Projects!April 10, 2025Annika Bagazinski, Victoria Abuja and Salvi Patel gave presentations about their undergaduate distinction projects in Integrative Biology and all three were awarded “High Distinction”! Annika Bagazinski Victoria Abuja Salvi Patel [...] Read more...
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...