Regular biography
Assoc. Prof. Ajai Vyas is an Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Nanyang Technological University. His research interests include neuroendocrinology, parasitology, and functional ecology. His work explores the backwash effects of death on life processes, focusing on trade-offs in individuals and their reflection in the brain and hormones. He employs perturbation models, such as host behavior manipulation by coevolving parasites, aging-related learning breakdown, and predator-prey interactions. His lab combines mechanistic neuroendocrinology with evolutionary and ecological contexts. His research has been published in journals such as Neuroendocrinology and Science Reports.
Scholar-generated biography
Ajai Vyas is a researcher in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology and Behavioral Neuroscience, focusing on the impact of chronic stress on neural structures and behavior. His work explores how stress modulates dendritic remodeling, spine formation, and synaptic connectivity in the amygdala and hippocampus, linking these changes to anxiety-like behaviors. Vyas also investigates the behavioral effects of Toxoplasma infection in rodents, particularly how it alters predator aversion, sexual behavior, and mate choice. His research highlights the role of epigenetic mechanisms and hormonal changes in host behavior modification by parasites. By examining life-history strategies and neuroendocrine responses, Vyas contributes to understanding the interplay between stress, neuroplasticity, and parasitic manipulation of host behavior.