Date of Award

8-2024

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Developmental and Brain Sciences

First Advisor

Jin Ho Park

Second Advisor

Vivian Ciaramitaro

Third Advisor

Lisa Maeng, Albert Kao

Abstract

Sex variability and diversity are pervasive across taxa and genera. Society is heavily structured around sex/gender conceptualizations, and neuroscience research actively shapes these constructs. This dissertation adopts frameworks that challenge ideologies perpetuating sex/gender injustices and developed neuroscience-related methodologies that could advance the conceptualisations of sex. First, I studied B6D2F1 mice which exhibit sexual behaviour months after castration. This challenged the dogma that sexual behaviour is dependent on gonadal steroid hormones. I enhanced the behavioural analysis of these mice using deep learning techniques. Second, applying similar deep learning methods, I refined the behavioural analysis of Astatotilapia burtoni cichlids, which exhibit sexual behaviour in groups. Traditionally, neuroscience studies on sexual behaviour involve animal dyads singly isolated until experimentation. Third, recognising that laboratory cultivation alters cichlid behaviour and brain compared to the wild, I developed a framework utilising camera trap datasets to facilitate future neuroscience studies in wildlife settings. Lastly, in addition to sex at the behavioural level, numerous variables at cellular, molecular, and genetic levels are related to sex. Neuroscience currently lacks models to adequately construct human sex at these levels. To address this gap, I engineered a cell type relevant to human sex from stem cells. These efforts encompass various aspects of sex variability and diversity, emphasizing rigorous, precise, and transparent science to promote sex/gender justice and advance our construction of sex.

Comments

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