Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy - Faculty Focus - Kerry O'Banion
Kerry's Bachelor's degree (1980) was in Biology with a Pre-Med curriculum. He had always
been attracted to scientific research, and during his undergraduate years, he developed
a keen interest in the application of science and medicine towards improving human health.
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Prairie Vole Pair-Bonding
Kerry was introduced to research during his junior year when he began work
in the Psychology Department with Sue Carter-Porges on a project which later
developed into his Senior Honors Thesis. This work examined the social interactions
and hormone chemistry related to pair-bonding behavior in prairie voles.
As Kerry explains, these animals are unique among rodents because they establish
monogamous relationships. Kerry's undergraduate work on this project involved
the maintenance of a colony of 50 prairie voles on which he completed behavioral
experiments to examine mate selection and breeding behaviors. This work ultimately
established that male pheromones influence the female's selection of an appropriate
mate.
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