Dr Elisabetta Versace

Elisabetta Versace

Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor)

School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
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Research

animal cognition, predispositions, experimental evolution, early cognition, crossmodality, dance science - positive psychology

Publications

solid heart iconPublications of specific relevance to the Centre for Brain and Behaviour

2024

bullet iconRobotics for poultry farming: challenges and opportunities
Chen Z, Ozenturk U, Jamone L and Versace E
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Elsevier 
07-09-2024
bullet iconExploratory analysis of early-life chick calls
Torrisi A, De Almeida Nolasco IS, Versace E and Benetos E
4th International Workshop on Vocal Interactivity in-and-between Humans, Animals and Robots (VIHAR) Kos, Greece 6 Sep 2024
06-09-2024
bullet iconAssessing preferences for adult versus juvenile features in young animals: Newly hatched chicks spontaneously approach red and large stimuli
Freeland LV, Emmerson MG, Vasas V, Gomes J and Versace E
Learning & Behavior, Springer Nature, 1-12.  
16-08-2024
bullet iconNoxious stimulation induces self-protective behavior in bumblebees
Gibbons M, Pasquini E, Kowalewska A, Read E, Gibson S, Crump A, Solvi C, Versace E and Chittka L
Iscience, Elsevier vol. 27 (8) 
02-07-2024
bullet iconSpontaneous biases enhance generalization in the neonate brain
Wang S, Vasas V, Freeland L, Osorio D and Versace E
Iscience, Elsevier vol. 27 (7) 
07-06-2024
bullet iconReproductive isolation arises during laboratory adaptation to a novel hot environment
Hsu S-K, Lai W-Y, Novak J, Lehner F, Jakšić AM, Versace E and Schlötterer C
Genome Biology, Springer Nature vol. 25 (1) 
28-05-2024
bullet iconFirst-sight recognition of touched objects shows that chicks can solve Molyneux's problem
Versace E, Freeland L and Emmerson MG
Biology Letters, The Royal Society vol. 20 (4) 
01-04-2024

2023

bullet iconLearning to detect an animal sound from five examples
Nolasco I, Singh S, Morfi V, Lostanlen V, Strandburg-Peshkin A, Vidaña-Vila E, Gill L, Pamuła H, Whitehead H, Kiskin I, Jensen FH, Morford J, Emmerson MG, Versace E, Grout E, Liu H, Ghani B and Stowell D
Ecological Informatics, Elsevier vol. 77 
10-08-2023
bullet iconCrossmodal association between visual and acoustic cues in a tortoise (Testudo hermanni)
Loconsole M, Stancher G and Versace E
Biology Letters, The Royal Society vol. 19 (7) 
01-07-2023
Relevant PublicationA spontaneous gravity prior: Newborn chicks prefer stimuli that move against gravity
Versace E, Bliss L, Vasas V, Freeland L, Roach R and Ferrè E
Biology Letters, The Royal Society 
08-02-2023

2022

Relevant PublicationMotionPerfection: An agile tool for the visualisation, analysis, annotation, and record of motor practice
Versace E, Gallo V, Xin Z, Abdallah D, Angioi M, Redding E, Ackroyd B and Galvan C
Softwarex, Elsevier 
03-11-2022
Relevant PublicationJoint Scattering for Automatic Chick Call Recognition
Wang C, Benetos E, Versace E and Wang S
30th European Signal Processing Conference Belgrade, Serbia 29 Aug 2022 - 2 Sep 2022
29-08-2022
Relevant PublicationMotivational trade-offs and modulation of nociception in bumblebees
Gibbons M, Versace E, Crump A, Baran B and Chittka L
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences vol. 119 (31) 
26-07-2022
Relevant PublicationLight-induced asymmetries in embryonic retinal gene expression are mediated by the vascular system and extracellular matrix
Versace E, Sgadò P, George J, Loveland JL, Ward J, Thorpe P, Jensen LJ, Spencer KA, Paracchini S and Vallortigara G
Scientific Reports, Springer Nature vol. 12 (1) 
15-07-2022
Relevant PublicationYoung domestic chicks spontaneously represent the absence of objects
Szabó E, Chiandetti C, Téglás E, Versace E, Csibra G, Kovács ÁM and Vallortigara G
Elife, Elife vol. 11 
11-04-2022
Relevant PublicationRecognition of rotated objects and cognitive offloading in dogs
Versace E, Lonardo L and Huber L
Iscience, Elsevier (Cell Press) 
26-01-2022
bullet iconFilial Imprinting
Vallortigara G and Versace E
In Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior, Springer Nature 2726-2728.  
01-01-2022

2021

Relevant PublicationVisual Field Analysis: A reliable method to score left and right eye use using automated tracking
Josserand M, Rosa-Salva O, Versace E and Lemaire BS
Behavior Research Methods, Springer Nature vol. 54 (4), 1715-1724.  
08-10-2021
Relevant PublicationAttraction for familiar conspecifics in young chicks (Gallus gallus): an interbreed study
Versace E, Ragusa M, Pallante V and Wang S
Behavioural Processes, Elsevier 
06-09-2021
Relevant PublicationUsing RoboChick to Identify the Behavioral Features Promoting Social Interactions
Slonina Z, Bonzini AA, Brown J, Wang S, Farkhatdinov I, Althoefer K, Jamone L and Versace E
2021 IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning (ICDL)
23-08-2021
Relevant PublicationResurgence of an inborn attraction for animate objects via thyroid hormone T3
Lorenzi E, Lemaire BS, Versace E, Matsushima T and Vallortigara G
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Frontiers Media 
19-04-2021
Relevant PublicationStability and individual variability of social attachment in imprinting
Lemaire BS, Rucco D, Josserand M, Vallortigara G and Versace E
Scientific Reports, Springer Nature vol. 11 (1) 
12-04-2021
Relevant PublicationYoung chicks quickly lose their spontaneous preference to aggregate with females
Pallante V, Rucco D and Versace E
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Springer Nature vol. 75 (5) 
12-04-2021
Relevant PublicationSensitive periods for social development: Interactions between predisposed and learned mechanisms
Rosa-Salva O, Mayer U, Versace E, Hébert M, Lemaire BS and Vallortigara G
Cognition, Elsevier vol. 213 
02-01-2021

2020

Relevant PublicationEarly preference for face-like stimuli in solitary species as revealed by tortoise hatchlings.
Versace E, Damini S and Stancher G
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 
14-09-2020
Relevant PublicationIndividual, but not population asymmetries, are modulated by social environment and genotype in Drosophila melanogaster
Versace E, Caffini M, Werkhoven Z and de Bivort BL
Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group vol. 10 (1) 
11-03-2020
Relevant PublicationRapid sex-specific adaptation to high temperature in Drosophila
Versace E, Schloetterer C, Hsu S-K, Jakšić AM, Nolte V, Lirakis M, Kofler R and Barghi N
Elife, Elife Sciences Publications Ltd 
21-02-2020

2019

Relevant PublicationA transient time window for early predispositions in newborn chicks
Versace E, Ragusa M and Vallortigara G
Scientific Reports, Springer Nature vol. 9 (1) 
10-12-2019
Relevant PublicationInexperienced preys know when to flee or to freeze in front of a threat
Hebert M, Versace E and Vallortigara G
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of Usa, National Academy of Sciences 
12-11-2019
Relevant PublicationPositional encoding in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)
Versace E, Rogge JR, Shelton-May N and Ravignani A
Animal Cognition, Springer Nature vol. 22 (5), 825-838.  
01-07-2019
Relevant PublicationEmbryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched Chicks
Lorenzi E, Pross A, Rosa-Salva O, Versace E, Sgadò P and Vallortigara G
Frontiers in Physiology, Frontiers vol. 10 
30-04-2019

2018

Relevant PublicationPriors in Animal and Artificial Intelligence: Where Does Learning Begin?
Versace E, Martinho-Truswell A, Kacelnik A and Vallortigara G
Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Elsevier vol. 22 (11), 963-965.  
07-08-2018
Relevant PublicationSpontaneous learning of visual structures in domestic chicks
rosa-salva O, Fiser J, VERSACE E, Dolci C, Chehaimi S, Santolin C and Vallortigara G
Animals, Mdpi Ag 
06-08-2018
Relevant PublicationCorrigendum to “Evolutionary compromises to metabolic toxins: Ammonia and urea tolerance in Drosophila suzukii and Drosophila melanogaster” [Physiol. Behav. 191, 1 July 2018, 146–154]
Belloni V, Galeazzi A, Bernini G, Mandrioli M, Versace E and Haase A
Physiology & Behavior, Elsevier vol. 194 
24-05-2018
Relevant PublicationEvolutionary compromises to metabolic toxins: Ammonia and urea tolerance in Drosophila suzukii and Drosophila melanogaster
Belloni V, Galeazzi A, Bernini G, Mandrioli M, Versace E and Haase A
Physiology & Behavior, Elsevier vol. 191, 146-154.  
19-04-2018
Relevant PublicationEmbryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Impairs Social Predispositions of Newly-Hatched Chicks
Sgadò P, Rosa-Salva O, VERSACE E and Vallortigara G
Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group 
12-04-2018
Relevant PublicationBorn to be asocial: Newly-hatched tortoises avoid unfamiliar individuals
VERSACE E, Damini S, Caffini M and Stancher G
Animal Behaviour, Elsevier Masson 
30-03-2018
Relevant PublicationFilial Imprinting
Vallortigara G and Versace E
In Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior, Springer Nature 1-4.  
01-01-2018

2017

Relevant PublicationSpontaneous generalization of abstract multimodal patterns in young domestic chicks
Versace E, Spierings MJ, Caffini M, ten Cate C and Vallortigara G
Animal Cognition, Springer Nature vol. 20 (3), 521-529.  
04-03-2017
Relevant PublicationNewborn chicks show inherited variability in early social predispositions for hen-like stimuli
Versace E, Fracasso I, Baldan G, Dalle Zotte A and Vallortigara G
Scientific Reports, Springer Nature vol. 7 (1) 
24-01-2017

2016

Relevant PublicationLateralized antennal control of aggression and sex differences in red mason bees, Osmia bicornis
Rogers LJ, Frasnelli E and Versace E
Scientific Reports, Springer Nature vol. 6 (1) 
08-07-2016

2014

Relevant PublicationExperimental evolution reveals habitat‐specific fitness dynamics among Wolbachia clades in Drosophila melanogaster
Versace E, Nolte V, Pandey RV, Tobler R and Schlötterer C
Molecular Ecology, Wiley vol. 23 (4), 802-814.  
29-01-2014

Grants

solid heart iconGrants of specific relevance to the Centre for Brain and Behaviour
solid heart iconGeneralisation from limited experience: how to solve the problem of induction
Elisabetta Versace
£269,334 Leverhulme Trust
23-08-2021 - 31-03-2026


solid heart iconRoyal Society Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowships 2021 - Generalisation using sparse data: From animal to artificial systems
Elisabetta Versace
£61,326 Royal Society
01-11-2021 - 30-06-2024
solid heart iconAugmented feedback to enhance motor and artistic learning during social distancing
Elisabetta Versace, Kristin Hadfield, Steven Buckingham, Andrea Cavallaro, Manuela Angioi and Dylan Morrissey
£234,297 ESRC Economic and Social Research Council
01-01-2021 - 30-04-2022
solid heart iconGeneral AI and interactive robots for farming
Elisabetta Versace and Alan Walker
£22,000 Alan Turing Institute, The
01-01-2020 - 28-02-2021
solid heart iconDissecting the preference for social reciprocity at birth: A virtual reality study in chicks
Elisabetta Versace
£19,999 Royal Society
15-03-2019 - 14-03-2020
solid heart iconDevelopmental reprogramming following prenatal acoustic signals
Elisabetta Versace
£518,189 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01-12-2018 - 31-01-2024