Catherine Dulac is a Harvard neurobiologist awarded for her work on parental instincts, considered a real scientific breakthrough.
Is there a parenting instinct? This is what Franco-American scientist Catherine Dulac has been looking for for many years. She was recognized for her work in successfully locating the neural circuits in the brain that guide parenting instincts in mice.
This research would provide a better understanding of the roles adopted by male and female mammals, including humans.
Catherine Dulac thus discovered that these instinctive behaviors are complex. Usually they tell the female mouse to take care of the baby mice and the male mouse to attack them. However, she also showed that each gender has behavioral instincts on two sides. These are the hormones that activate a particular behavioral circuit. This involves behaviors where the female kills her young, or the male takes care of her mice.
A discovery extended to humans
"It is believed that what we found may spread to other species" explains Catherine Dulac. "There is an instinct, and instinct is precisely the functioning of these neurons, which are – I bet – in the brains of all mammals and tell the animal, when there are signals on the presence of newborns: “You have to take care of them” ”.
What may also extend to other species is the discovery of this dual behavioral wiring, both female and male.
The scientist admits that she is touched by the hope that her work brings to those affected by the transgender issue.
"I am a scientist, I look at the data, I am neutral" she admits, completing: " It deeply touches me. (…) Here we say to ourselves: I was useful. "
Catherine Dulac is a woman committed to the end, who confides in donating part of the prize money won by her research to causes defending the health and education of women and the poor.