Martin Kavaliers, Western University

Research

Affective states Behavioral neuroendocrinology Mate choice Nociception sex differences Sexual behavior Social approach/avoidance Social learning

Latest papers

Avoidance of bacterial and viral threat is affected by infection status in a terrestrial snail.
Behavioural processes · 2026 · first author
Toxin-induced conditioned disgust responses: Comparing emetine and scopolamine methyl nitrate (SMN) to lithium chloride (LiCl).
Behavioural brain research · 2026
Timing-dependent immune modulation of learning in a long-interval rodent model of anticipatory nausea.
Behavioural brain research · 2026

All 69 publications

Latest funding

Social Factors and the Neuromodulation of Parasite Avoidance
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$128,715
Pathogen threat, neuromodulatory systems and behavior
NSERC · 2016 · Principal investigator
$168,000
Neuromodulatory systems, environmental factors and behavior
NSERC · 2011 · Principal investigator
$135,000

All 19 grants and awards

69 publications.

01

Avoidance of bacterial and viral threat is affected by infection status in a terrestrial snail.

Kavaliers M, Bishnoi IR, Matic V, Ossenkopp KP, Choleris E

Behavioural processes2026First author

DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2026.105414 PMID: 42521134

02

Toxin-induced conditioned disgust responses: Comparing emetine and scopolamine methyl nitrate (SMN) to lithium chloride (LiCl).

Lake GE, Wang L, Al-Khudairy M, Kavaliers M, Ossenkopp KP

Behavioural brain research2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2026.116087 PMID: 41655821

03

Timing-dependent immune modulation of learning in a long-interval rodent model of anticipatory nausea.

Bishnoi IR, Matic VM, Wang L, Ravichandran CT, Lake G, Kavaliers M, Ossenkopp KP

Behavioural brain research2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2026.116026 PMID: 41506477

04

Acute and repeated low dose lipopolysaccharide differentially influences opposite-sex odour preference in male and female mice.

Cantini D, Choleris E, Kavaliers M

Physiology & behavior2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115103 PMID: 40935307

05

Sex differences in sucrose-induced locomotor sensitization and cross-sensitization with the D2/D3 agonist quinpirole in rats.

Matic V, Huynh M, Bishnoi IR, Kavaliers M, Ossenkopp KP

Behavioural brain research2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115771 PMID: 40784624

06

The Role of Androgens and Estrogens in Social Interactions and Social Cognition.

Aspesi D, Bass N, Kavaliers M, Choleris E

Neuroscience2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.03.028 PMID: 37080448

07

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) attenuates the primary conditioning of lithium chloride (LiCl)-induced context aversion but not the secondary conditioning of context aversion or taste avoidance.

Bishnoi IR, Kavaliers M, Ossenkopp KP

Behavioural brain research2024

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114800 PMID: 38061669

08

Neurobiology of Pathogen Avoidance and Mate Choice: Current and Future Directions.

Cantini D, Choleris E, Kavaliers M

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2024Senior author

DOI: 10.3390/ani14020296 PMID: 38254465

09

The enteric metabolite, propionic acid, impairs social behavior and increases anxiety in a rodent ASD model: Examining sex differences and the influence of the estrous cycle.

Benitah KC, Kavaliers M, Ossenkopp KP

Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2023.173630 PMID: 37640163

10

Disgusted snails, oxytocin, and the avoidance of infection threat.

Kavaliers M, Wah DTO, Bishnoi IR, Ossenkopp KP, Choleris E

Hormones and behavior2023First author

DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105424 PMID: 37678092

Social Factors and the Neuromodulation of Parasite Avoidance

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kavaliers, Martin

Keywords: social recognition; social approach/avoidance; behavioral neuroendocrinology; social motivation; social learning; mate choice; affective states; nociception; sex differences; sexual behavior

$128,715

Pathogen threat, neuromodulatory systems and behavior

Principal investigatorNSERC2016Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kavaliers, Martin

$168,000

Neuromodulatory systems, environmental factors and behavior

Principal investigatorNSERC2011Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kavaliers, Martin

$135,000

A neuroendocrinology assay laboratory at the University of Western Ontario

Co-investigatorNSERC2010Major Resources Support Program - Infrastructure

Principal investigators: Hampson, Elizabeth

$171,000

A behavioural neuroendocrinology laboratory at the University of Western Ontario

Co-investigatorNSERC2007Major Resources Support Program - Infrastructure

Principal investigators: Hampson, Elizabeth

$172,890

Neuromodulatory systems, environmental factors and behavior

Principal investigatorNSERC2006Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kavaliers, Martin

$210,000

Multimode plate reader for analysis of hormones and cytokine

Principal investigatorNSERC2006Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Kavaliers, Martin

$30,000

Analytical system for videotape analysis of behavior and behavior patterns

Co-investigatorNSERC2004Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Ossenkopp, KlausPeter

$11,730

A behavioural neuroendocrinology laboratory and research group

Co-investigatorNSERC2003Major Facilities Access Grants

Principal investigators: Hampson, Elizabeth

$135,000

Cryostat for neuroendocrinology research group

Co-investigatorNSERC2003Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: MacDougallShackleton, Scott

$27,140

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Psychology
Molecular and Cellular Biology

Co-authors at Western University, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Klaus-Peter Ossenkopp

Psychology

53 shared papers, latest 2026

Elena Choleris

Psychology

19 shared papers, latest 2026

Ray Lu

Molecular and Cellular Biology

1 shared papers, latest 2013

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2022

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Affective states Dear Professor Kavaliers, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Avoidance of bacterial and viral threat is affected by infection status in a terrestrial snail." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Social Factors and the Neuromodulation of Parasite Avoidance" (2022), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]