Moran Lab Announces Sigma Xi Grant Award to PhD Student Kiedon Bryant

By: TAMU Biology

The Moran Lab is proud to announce that Kiedon Bryant, a first-year Biology PhD student, has been awarded a prestigious Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research. This grant will support Kiedon’s innovative research on the evolution of allopaternal care in darters.

In many species of darters, males exhibit paternal care by tending to eggs in their nest sites. Interestingly, in some species, males will also take over the care of eggs in nests abandoned by unrelated males. This behavior, known as allopaternal care, is believed to be adaptive as females tend to prefer nests with eggs already present.

Kiedon’s research will delve into the hormonal and neural mechanisms underlying this fascinating behavior, potentially shedding light on the evolutionary advantages and biological processes involved.

Kiedon was among 55 recipients of this round of Sigma Xi funding, with six recipients hailing from Texas. The Moran Lab is excited to support Kiedon’s groundbreaking work and looks forward to the insights his research will bring to the field of evolutionary biology!