Payson Bingham

Hometown:

Twin Falls, ID US
(Twin Falls County)

School:

Idaho State University
Undergraduate student
Biochemistry

Funded by EPSCoR Award:

ICREWS | OIA-2242769

Research Location(s):

Idaho State University

COUNTIES:  Bannock

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT(S):  District 29

Research Statement:

In general, I love learning about everything! I was motivated to start undergraduate research after taking an anatomy and physiology class at College of Southern Idaho. I loved learning about the numerous complex biological and chemical processes that take place in organisms, and that is the type of research I'm interested in studying. After transferring to Idaho State University, I took a biology class with Dr. Devaleena Pradhan, where she introduced me to her research on a sexually plastic fish called the bluebanded goby. The fish fascinated me, and I wanted to learn more about the biological mechanisms involved in their ability to sex change. I asked to join Dr. Pradhan's lab as soon as possible, which provided me with the opportunity to research biological functions on multiple levels: morphological, behavioral, and neuroendocrinological.

Research Impact:

We were able to determine that dorsal fin morphology plays an integral role in how a sexually plastic fish, the bluebanded goby, establishes a linear dominance hierarchy. Status resolution is not only determined by size. Other aspects of morphology must be considered, especially those involved in communication, such as the dorsal fin. These findings elucidate the complexities of hierarchy formation.