The Genetic Basis of Parental Care

April 19, 2017
A mated pair of monogamous oldfield mice with their litter in the lab at Harvard. Credit Andrés Bendesky

Why are some mice and people monogamous? And, why are monogamous fathers better at parenting? In a study led by Hopi Hoekstra and postdocs, Andrés Bendesky and Jean-Marc Lassance, the answer points to a genetic basis for parental care in monogamous parents that can elvolve independently in males and females. The study published in the latest issue of Nature, is in collaboration with Catherine Dulac's lab in MCB.  News: New York Times, Harvard GazetteScienceDaily 

Image: A mated pair of monogamous oldfield mice with their litter in the lab at Harvard. Credit, Andrés Bendesky