The Young Lab

Current lab members

Principal Investigator

Larry J. Young, Ph.D.
Dr. Young conducts research on the neurobiologial bases of complex social behavior and social cognition. He is interested in understanding the neural circuitry and genetics underlying social information processing and the formation of social bonds. He is also interested in understanding the biological bases for diversity and the evolution of social behaviors. Much of his research examines the mechanisms underlying pair bond formation in monogamous prairie voles, and has highlighted the roles of oxytocin and vasopressin in regulating social behavior. This work has important implications for psychiatric disorders characterized by disruption in social cognition, including autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Dr. Young's lab is now using this basic understanding of social cognition to identify novel drugs to treat social deficits in psychiatric disorders.

Post-docs

	Elissar Andari, Ph.D. Elissar is investigating the impact of oxytocin on Human social functioning and the brain.		Kiyoshi Inoue, Ph.D.
	Alaine Keebaugh, Ph.D. Alaine is working to develop transgenic technologies in the prairie vole to explore genes regulating complex social behavior.		Aaron Smith, Ph.D. For those who find it difficult to find love, I anticipate my research will enable everyone to see it.

Graduate Students

	Catherine Barrett Katie is researching the influence of postnatal oxytocin manipulations and early life social experiences on adult social bonding.		James Burkett James is working to develop empathy-based measures of social cognition, including animal models of consolation.
	Sara Freeman Sara is investigating the neuroanatomy of the oxytocin system in primate brain and its role in primate social cognition.		Zack Johnson Zack is interested in social behavior and hopes to investigate from evolutionary, genomic and neurobiological perspectives.
	Lanikea King Lani is investigating the influence of gene regulation on social cognition.		Kara Kittelberger Kara is interested in using prairie voles to explore pro-social pharmacotherapies.

Research Specialists

Pravina Fernandez
Pravina is studying the modulatory roles of neurotrophins on prosocial behavior in prairie voles.

Lorra Mathews
Lorra is responsible for management of the vole and transgenic mouse colonies.

Undergraduates

Jasmine Jenkins
I assist Alaine Keebaugh with exploring genes regulating complex social behavior of praire voles.

Billy Zhang
Billy is currently working as a general lab assistant to the Young Laboratory.

Recent Graduates

	Todd Ahern, Ph.D. <Thesis> "Family life and its consequences: insights from the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)"		Zoe Donaldson, Ph.D. Columbia University, Health & Society Scholars <Thesis> "Exploring the neurogenetics of sociality: creation of models to assess the functional role of V1a receptor diversity"
	Meera Modi, Ph.D. <Thesis> "Identifying novel therapeutic strategies for enhancing social cognition using functional animal models"		Heather Ross, Ph.D.Emory Psychiatry, Emory Mind-Body Program <Thesis> "Oxytocin and affiliative behavior in prairie voles"

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