In the Freeman Lab, we conduct comparative and translational neuroscience research across highly social species of rodents, primates (including humans), and now canids, to better understand the social brain. While we primarily focus on the oxytocin and vasopressin systems of the brain, we also study other neurotransmitters involved in the regulation of behavior, especially those that interact with oxytocin and vasopressin, such as dopamine, acetyl choline, and corticotropin releasing factor. The broader goal of this research program is to better understand the neurobiological basis of social function in animals and to try to identify possible biomarkers, disease etiologies, and novel treatment avenues for human clinical populations that are characterized by deficits in social function, such as individuals with autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.
The Freeman Lab is part of the Biology Department at Utah State University. We are located in Logan, UT, in the beautiful Cache Valley, which is a mixed rural/agricultural and suburban area that's nestled between two mountain ranges: the northern Wasatch mountains on the east and the Wellsvilles on the west. We get four "textbook" 3-month long seasons each year, with summers hot enough to swim and boat in the nearby rivers and lakes and winters snowy enough to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and ice fishing. On average there are 222 sunny days per year, which is higher than the national average, and there are more hiking trails in our area than there are days of the year to hike them!
As a land-grant institution, Utah State University campuses and centers reside and operate on the territories of the eight tribes of Utah, who have been living, working, and residing on this land from time immemorial. These tribes are the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Indians, Navajo Nation, Ute Indian Tribe, Northwestern Band of Shoshone, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, San Juan Southern Paiute, Skull Valley Band of Goshute, and White Mesa Band of the Ute Mountain Ute. We acknowledge these lands carry the stories of these Nations and their struggles for survival and identity. We recognize Elders past and present as peoples who have cared for, and continue to care for, the land. In offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous self-governance history, experiences, and resiliency of the Native people who are still here today.
The Freeman Lab is part of the Biology Department at Utah State University. We are located in Logan, UT, in the beautiful Cache Valley, which is a mixed rural/agricultural and suburban area that's nestled between two mountain ranges: the northern Wasatch mountains on the east and the Wellsvilles on the west. We get four "textbook" 3-month long seasons each year, with summers hot enough to swim and boat in the nearby rivers and lakes and winters snowy enough to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and ice fishing. On average there are 222 sunny days per year, which is higher than the national average, and there are more hiking trails in our area than there are days of the year to hike them!
As a land-grant institution, Utah State University campuses and centers reside and operate on the territories of the eight tribes of Utah, who have been living, working, and residing on this land from time immemorial. These tribes are the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Indians, Navajo Nation, Ute Indian Tribe, Northwestern Band of Shoshone, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, San Juan Southern Paiute, Skull Valley Band of Goshute, and White Mesa Band of the Ute Mountain Ute. We acknowledge these lands carry the stories of these Nations and their struggles for survival and identity. We recognize Elders past and present as peoples who have cared for, and continue to care for, the land. In offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous self-governance history, experiences, and resiliency of the Native people who are still here today.