An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology

Randy J. Nelson is a Distinguished University Professor and holds the Brumbaugh Chair in Brain Research and Teaching at The Ohio State University. He is Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience and a member of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine at The Ohio State University Medical Center. He is the recipient of the Ohio State University Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Nelson earned his A.B. degree in Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and began his graduate career with work on canine behavioral sex differentiation under Dr. Frank Beach. After receiving his M.A. in Psychology, he began focusing on circadian rhythms and photoperiodism with Dr. Irving Zucker. He simultaneously earned a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Endocrinology from the University of California, Berkeley, then went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in reproductive physiology at the Institute for Reproductive Biology at the University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Nelson served on the faculty at The Johns Hopkins University for fifteen years before moving to Columbus. He has published over 400 research articles and several books describing studies in seasonality, behavioral endocrinology, biological rhythms, immune function, sex behavior, and aggressive behaviors. His current research focuses on the role of light at night in disrupting circadian organization of hormones, brain, and behavior.
Lance J. Kriegsfeld is Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Psychology at The University of California, Berkeley. He also holds a joint appointment in The Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute at The University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Kriegsfeld earned his Ph.D. at The Johns Hopkins University investigating the neural mechanisms underlying the seasonal control of reproduction under Dr. Randy Nelson. Following his Ph.D., he then went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship investigating circadian biology and behavior with Dr. Rae Silver at Columbia University. After completing his postdoctoral fellowship, he joined the faculty at The University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Kriegsfeld has published over 100 research articles and a book covering topics in sexual differentiation, behavioral endocrinology, circadian biology, reproductive biology, behavioral genetics, immune function, and sex and aggressive behaviors. He is a recipient of the Frank A. Beach Award in Neuroendocrinology and the University of California Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award.