Kristina Smiley

PhD, Psychology - Behavioral & Evolutionary Neuroscience, 2017, Cornell University

BSc Honors, Psychology, 2010, Wayne State University

Luke Remage-Healey

Behavioral Neuroscience

Neuroscience & Behavior Graduate Program

Generally, I am interested in the role hormones play in generating and regulating social interactions in animals. Specifically, I study the role of the hormone prolactin in parenting behaviors in both birds and rodents. In my current position, I will be investigating how auditory perception of offspring cues changes with parenting experience.

Guest lecturer, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago

2019 - 2021          Human Sexuality and Health

Teaching Fellow, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago

2018       Human Sexuality and Health

Section leader, Department of Psychology, Cornell University

2015       The Individual in a Social World: Introduction to Social Psychology                                          

2013       Hormones and Behavior

2012       The Individual in a Social World: Introduction to Social Psychology

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Psychology, Cornell University

2016       Adult Psychopathology

2015       Community Outreach Psychology

2014       Adult Psychopathology

2013       Hormones and Behavior

                Developmental Psychology

2012       Introduction to Statistical Methods

                Introduction to Social Psychology

2011       Introduction to Biopsychology

2018-2021       Chair, Centre for Neuroendocrinology Advisory committee, University of Otago

2018-2021       Director, “Thirst for Knowledge” (Host monthly science lectures for public audience), Ombrellos Bar & Kitchen, Dunedin, New Zealand 

2017-Present   Manuscript reviewer: Animal Behaviour, Avian Biology, Avian Research, Behavioural Brain Research, Behavioral Neuroscience, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Frontiers, General and Comparative Endocrinology, Hormones and Behavior, Integrative and Comparative Biology, Integrative Organismal Biology, Nature Communications Biology, and PeerJ journals                 

2019-2020        Member, HNNA Advisory Committee

2019-2020        Volunteer, Brain Day exhibit – Otago Museum

2019                 Professional Development Workshop committee member - Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology

2019                 Mentor - Animal Behavior Society Mentoring Meeting Program 

2018-2019       Committee Member and Grant Reviewer - Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) Fellowship Committee

2018                 Women’s Wellbeing Symposium Organizing Committee member

2018                 Poster judge, Hypothalamic Neuroscience and Neuroendocrinology Australasia (HNNA) Society, New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress meeting

2018                 Poster judge, School of Biomedical Sciences postgraduate symposium, University of Otago

2016                 Grant reviewer, Animal Behavior Society

2014                 Poster Judge, Cornell Undergraduate Research Board

2013                 Book Reviewer, Animal Behavior journal

2013                 Poster Judge, Cornell Undergraduate Research Board

Peer reviewed papers

1. Smiley, K.O., Brown, R.S.E., and Grattan, D.R., 2021. Prolactin action in the brain is required for paternal care in the mouse. BioRxiv. (In review)  https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.12.30.474525
2. Stagkourakis, S., Smiley, K.O., Williams, P., Kakadellis, S., Ziegler, K., Bakker, J., Harkany, T., Brown, R.S.E., Grattan, D.R., and Broberger, C., 2020. A neuro-hormonal circuit for paternal behavior controlled by a hypothalamic network oscillation. Cell 182, 960-975.
3. Garratt, M., Try, H., Smiley, K.O., Grattan, D.R., Brooks, R.C., 2020. Mating in the absence of fertilization promotes a growth-reproduction versus lifespan trade-off in female mice. PNAS 117, 15748–15754.
4. Smiley, K.O., Dong, L., Ramakrishnan, S., and Adkins-Regan, E., 2020. Central prolactin receptor distribution and pStat5 activation patterns in breeding and non-breeding zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). In Press, General and Comparative Endocrinology.
5. Smiley, K.O., Buntin, J., Corbitt, C., and Deviche, P. 2020. Central prolactin binding site densities change seasonally in an adult male passerine bird (Junco hyemalis). Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 106, 101786.
6. Smiley, K.O.* 2019. Prolactin and avian parental care: New hypotheses and unanswered questions. Hormones and Behavior, 111, 114-130. *Invited reviewed for Young Investigators Award from the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
7. Smiley, K.O. and Adkins-Regan, E. 2018. Factors that influence the onset of parental care in zebra finches: Roles for egg stimuli and prolactin, Behavioural Processes, 153, 47-54.
8. Smiley, K.O., Adkins-Regan, E. 2018. Lowering prolactin reduces post-hatch parental care in male and female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Hormones and Behavior, 98, 103–114.
9. Crino, O.L., Buchanan, K.L., Fanson, B.G., Hurley, L.L., Smiley, K.O., Griffith, S.C. 2017. Divorce in the socially monogamous zebra finch: Hormonal mechanisms and reproductive consequences. Hormones and Behavior, 87, 155–163.
10. Smiley, K.O. and Adkins-Regan, E. 2016. Prolactin is related to individual differences in parental behavior and reproductive success in a biparental passerine, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). General and Comparative Endocrinology, 234, 88-94.
11. Smiley, K.O. and Adkins-Regan, E. 2016. Relationship between prolactin, reproductive experience, and parental care in a biparental songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). General and Comparative Endocrinology, 232, 17-24.
12. Adkins-Regan, E., Baran, N.M., Fernandez-Vargas, M., Kelly, E.M., and Smiley, K.O. 2014. Book review: Oxytocin, Vasopressin and Related Peptides in the Regulation of Behavior, Edited by Elena Choleris, Donald W. Pfaff, & Martin Kavaliers. Animal Behavior, 87, 239-241.
13. Smiley, K.O., Vahaba, D.M. and Tomaszycki, M.L. 2012. Behavioral effects of progesterone on pair bonding and partner preference in the female zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Behavioural processes 90, 210-6.

Book Chapters

1. Pereira, M., Smiley, K.O., and Lonstein, J.S. 2022 (In review). Parental Behavior in Rodents. Chapter in: Patterns of Parental Behavior: from Animal Science to Comparative Ethology and Neuroscience. González-Mariscal, G. (Ed).
2. Smiley K.O., Ladyman S.R., Gustafson P., Grattan D.R., Brown R.S.E. 2019. Neuroendocrinology and Adaptive Physiology of Maternal Care. Chapter in Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 43:161-210. Colen, L.M. and Grattan, D.R. (Eds).
3. Adkins-Regan, E. and Smiley, K.O. 2019. Parental Behavior and Hormones in Non-Mammalian Vertebrates. Chapter in: Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, Second Edition. Choe, J. (Ed).

Selected talks

1. Smiley, K.O., Brown, R.S.E., and Grattan, D.R. “Prolactin is required for the normal expression of  paternal care in the male mouse” British Society for Neuroendocrinology Early Career Researcher Webinar Series (virtual meeting), 2020
2. Smiley, K.O.* “The Role of Prolactin in Parental Behavior in Rodents and Birds”, New Zealand Medical Sciences Congress meeting, Queenstown, New Zealand, 2019  * NZSE Emerging Researcher prize talk  

3. Smiley, K.O.* “The role of prolactin in zebra finch parental care”,  International Congress of Neuroendocrinology and Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology  joint meeting, Toronto, Canada, 2018   *Young Investigator Award talk