General Information
Biography
The Wong lab is currently funded by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health.I am actively seeking graduate students interested in the neuromolecular basis of behavior.
Teaching Interests
Neurobiology
Research Interests
Animals interact with each other and the environment in variable and often adaptive ways. I am broadly interested in understanding the causes and consequences of variation of complex animal behaviors. Specifically my current research efforts focus on understanding the behavioral, neural, molecular, and neurotranscriptomic mechanisms that underlie variation in how animals cope with stress. I am also interested in understanding how an individual’s stress coping style influences behavioral and neuromolecular responses in other contexts (e.g. learning and memory). To address these interests, I utilize an integrative approach that draws on principles and methodologies from behavioral ecology, neuroethology, molecular neuroscience, and bioinformatics. Visit my lab website above for additional details regarding my research and opportunities to join my lab.
Awards and Honors
College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Outstanding Teacher Award, Teaching - 2025
Sophie and Feodora Kahn Professorship in Biology - 2023
College of Arts and Sciences Research and Creative Activity Award, Scholarship/Research - 2021
Education
BS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, Biology, Natural Resources, Ecology and Evolution, 2005
Ph D, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, 2011
Scholarship/Research/Creative Activity
Selected Publications
Corcoran, Jamie, Storks, Levi, Wong, Ryan. 2025. Bold zebrafish (Danio rerio) learn faster in a classical associative learning task, Scientific Reports.
Ayayee, Paul, Wong, Ryan. 2024. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) behavioral phenotypes not underscored by different gut microbiota, Ecology and Evolution, 14, 9, 1-10.
Dijkstra, Peter, Fialkowski, Robert, Bush, Brady, Wong, Ryan, Moore, Travis, Harvey, Ashley. 2024. Oxidative stress in the brain is regulated by social status in a highly social cichlid fish, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
Baker, Matthew, Wong, Ryan. 2021. Npas4a expression in the teleost forebrain is associated with stress coping style differences in fear learning, Scientific Reports.
Goodman, Alexander, Wong, Ryan. 2020. Differential effects of ethanol on behavior and GABAA receptor expression in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) with alternative stress coping styles, Scientific Reports.
Externally Funded Research
CAREER: Impact of stress coping style on cognitive processes and the underlying neuromolecular mechanisms, National Science Foundation, Federal, 03/01/2020 - 02/28/2025
Cellular Signaling Dynamics of Neuroendocrine and Oxidative Stress between Alternative Stress Resilience Phenotypes, University of Nebraska Medical Center, State Agencies, 01/01/2023 - 04/30/2023
MRI: Acquisition of an Illumina NextSeq 550 system to Support Genomic Research and Research Training at University of Nebraska at Omaha, National Science Foundation, Federal, 10/01/2019 - 09/30/2022
Neural and Molecular Mechanisms in Stress Coping, National Institutes of Health, Federal, 08/01/2017 - 07/31/2021
Social regulation of oxidative stress in the brain, Central Michigan University, Universities - present
Service
Professional
Scientific Reports, Editor, Associate Editor, Assess quality of scientific study and suitability for publication in peer-reviewed journal., 06/01/2019 - present