Brian Hare - US grants

One of the most exciting challenges in contemporary science is uncovering the genetic basis for the origin of uniquely human traits. Humans and other great apes are genetically very similar, yet diverse aspects of human anatomy, physiology, and behavior are markedly distinct. Recent technological developments provide the ability to begin identifying the specific genes that underlie these important trait differences. This project will focus on the evolution of human diet. Dietary traits are particularly interesting because the diet of early human ancestors and modern humans differ so markedly from those of the other great apes and because diet affects so many aspects of human health and disease. An interdisciplinary team of anthropologists and human geneticists will integrate genetic, organismal, and ecological information to better understand the genetic basis for the evolution of dietary traits in humans.

The primary intellectual goals of this project are to: (1) screen the human genome for relevant genes using two approaches, measuring gene expression across the entire genome from humans and chimpanzees in several tissues of dietary significance using ultra high-throughput sequencing and testing for adaptation in DNA sequences across the entire genome based on patterns of mutation; (2) conduct integrative case studies of diet-related genes implicated in trait changes during human origins through extensive DNA sequence comparisons among great ape species, detailed characterization of gene expression, experimental tests of functional differences, and associations between gene expression and specific dietary traits; and (3) conduct integrative case studies of diet-related genes among modern African human populations that are diverse with respect to diet and local climate, through detailed analyses of genetic variation, tests for natural selection, and genetic associations with specific dietary traits.

The broader impacts of this research include: collaborations and resource building with African scientists, recruitment and training of women and minority trainees, education outreach to grade school students, building two novel and informative databases that will be easily accessible through the web, and developing software for comparative analysis of primate genome sequences and gene expression.

What is it about the human species that makes it so different from any other species on the planet? Humans have unmatched technologies, organize with ever more complex forms of institutions and governments, and develop economies that allow the inhabitation of every place on this planet and even beyond. Across disciplines, scientists believe that it is the unusual propensity of humans for cooperation and cultural learning that makes this possible. It is currently thought that these aspects of human psychology arose because evolution shaped the very way human psychology develops. Specifically, it has been proposed that human social skills emerge extremely early in development relative to other apes and that these skills allow human infants to learn from adults in ways that other species cannot. To test the idea that human infants uniquely develop, researchers are carrying out the first large scale longitudinal developmental study designed to compare how the cognition of infant bonobos and chimpanzees develop. Dozens of chimpanzee and bonobo infants living in African sanctuaries are being followed as they grow up over three years so that their cognition can be evaluated and directly compared to that of human infants. In doing so crucial developmental patterns responsible for unique human cognitive abilities are being identified that can help explain the origins of development disorders.

Education programs are developed to assure that African and U.S. students benefit from the knowledge that the results produce and underrepresented populations are participating in the research. The web and other media are used to communicate results to the broader public. Finally, this research is supporting African partners in the critical mission of enforcing conservation laws aimed at reducing the poaching of the last remaining wild apes in their African home.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Increasingly, clinical studies show that service and companion dogs can have a significant positive impact on those with physical and mental disabilities. Unfortunately, there is a finite supply of service dogs and the growth potential of tis supply is limited. The main limitation is the 50-70% attrition rate of dogs bred, raised and traine to be companion or service animals. The high attrition rate makes these animals costly and leads to long waiting lists of those in need. There is a clear need for systematic research that helps identify why some dogs are so successful that then leads to a larger supply of certified dogs. A revolution in our understanding of dog cognition has occurred in the past decade, but little of this new understanding has been applied to real world problems. We propose to combine the resources of the Duke Canine Cognition Center and Canine Companion for Independence to identify cognitive traits that make some dogs more successful service dogs than others. First, to quantify individual variability as it relates to success in training, we wil deploy a battery of cognitive tests to evaluate the abilities of dogs that 1) are certified service dogs 2) failed training and 3) are untrained pet dogs. Second, starting as puppies we will use this cognitive battery longitudinally to test a large cohort of dogs before and after they receive formal training. In studying the cognitive abilities of service dogs we will develop a better understanding of what psychological mechanism(s) successful service dogs rely on or are constrained by when helping humans. We can then use this information to better predict which puppies will be successful service dogs - improving the success of training while increasing the potential number of service dogs available. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Dogs are increasingly being used to help those with medical and mental disabilities. The demand has created supply shortages of certified service and companion dogs. The proposed research will validate techniques to distinguish between dogs with high and low potential as service or companion dogs earlier in training - which will lead to a supply increase.

Abstract Increasingly, clinical studies show that service and companion dogs can have a significant positive impact on children, adolescents, and adults with physical and mental disabilities. Unfortunately, there is a finite supply of service dogs and the growth potential of this supply is limited. The main limitation is the 50-70% attrition rate of dogs bred, raised and trained to be companion or service animals. The high attrition rate makes these animals costly and leads to long waiting lists of those in need. There is a clear need for systematic research that helps identify why some dogs are successful while some are not, that then leads to a larger supply of certified dogs to meet the demand. A revolution in our understanding of dog cognition has occurred in the past decade, with previous work by our group linking individual differences in cognition and emotional reactivity to working dog performance in adults. We propose to combine the resources of the Duke Canine Cognition Center, the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine and Canine Companion for Independence (CCI) to characterize the development of the cognitive and emotional traits that our previous work have shown predict success in service dogs. First, we will detail how these cognitive traits, and their physiologic correlates, develop in CCI dogs using a longitudinal design during the critical period of brain development from 8-20 weeks of age. Second, we will test for the influence of different but common service dog rearing strategies on these skills by testing CCI puppies being reared in human homes or together with same age peers on a college campus. In studying the cognitive abilities and emotional reactivity of service dogs we will develop a better understanding of what psychological mechanism(s) successful service dogs rely on or are constrained by when helping humans. We can then use this information to better predict which puppies will be successful service dogs ? improving the success of training while increasing the potential number of service dogs available.