Dr. Cheng-Yu Li
Assistant Professor · Tenure-Track
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences
He/Him/His/Himself
About
I was born and raised in Taiwan, where I earned my B.S. from National Yang Ming University and my M.S. from National Taiwan Normal University. I then moved to the U.S. to pursue my Ph.D. at the University of Alabama and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Maryland, College Park, before joining the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
I am a neuroethologist with a broad interest in neuroendocrine systems and animal behavior. My research investigates how individuals perceive and process social information from their environments, and how this translates into neurophysiological responses (e.g., hormonal responses) and adaptive behaviors (e.g., aggression, mating, and parental care). While I’ve worked with various fish species, my current lab focuses on African cichlids and mangrove rivulus killifish.
Research interests
1. The role of the olfactory sensory system in reproductive, parental care, and aggressive behavior.
2. The neuroendocrine mechanisms of olfactory perception in modulating social behavior.
3. Co-evolution of olfactory receptors and ligands in the olfactory sensory system.
4. Social, endocrine, and genomic mechanisms of environmental sex determination and sex change.
5. Influences of social experiences on cognitive behavior and nucleus-specific brain transcriptome and proteome expressions.
6. Neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying experience-induced behavior changes.
Teaching interests
Neurobiology
Physiology
Sensory Biology
Neuroethology
Animal Behavior
Ecology Evolution
Education
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Ph D, Biological Sciences
— University of Alabama (2018) From Behaviors to Proteins: Investigating Behavioral and Neural Mechanisms Underlying Social Competition in Mangrove Rivulus Fish (Kryptolebias marmoratus)
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MS, Life Science
— National Taiwan Normal University (2011) Temporal Changes in Androgen, Estrogen, Cortisol and 5-HT1A Receptor Gene Expression after Wins and Losses in Kryptolebias marmoratus
- BS, Life Sciences — National Yang Ming University (2008)
Publications
- A pheromone receptor in cichlid fish mediates attraction to females but inhibits male parental care 2024
- Localized Androgen Receptor Expression Predicts Contest Behavior but Not Winner-Loser Effects in the Mangrove Killifish
- Winning and losing bias learning strategies through forebrain neural plasticity
Presentations
- Dissecting the Olfactory Basis of Reproductive Communication and Parental Role Differentiation in Cichlid Fish 2025
- High Temperature Promotes Androgenic Activity and Sex Change in a Mangrove Rivulus Killifish 2025
- Using Genetic Tools to Unravel Neurophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Complex Social Behaviors 2025
- Proteomic insights into winner-loser effects: aggression, learning, and brain protein profiles 2025
Courses Taught
- Foundations of Biology: Ecology and Evolution