Dr Elisabetta Versace
Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor)
School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
animal cognition, perception, predispositions, comparative psychology, precocial animals, dance science - positive psychology
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainability2025
Crossmodal pitch-luminance association in tortoisesLoconsole M Malaman B Stancher G Versace E
Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences, Wiley
16-09-2025
2024
3D Localization of Objects Buried within Granular Material Using a Distributed 3-Axis Tactile SensorChen Z Jamone L Versace E
2024 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems Abu Dhabi, UAE 13 Oct 2024 - 17 Oct 2024.
25-12-2024
Robotics for poultry farming: challenges and opportunitiesChen Z Ozenturk U Jamone L Versace E
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Elsevier
07-09-2024
Exploratory analysis of early-life chick callsTorrisi A De Almeida Nolasco IS Versace E Benetos E
4th International Workshop on Vocal Interactivity in-and-between Humans, Animals and Robots (VIHAR) Kos, Greece 6 Sep 2024.
06-09-2024
Assessing preferences for adult versus juvenile features in young animals: Newly hatched chicks spontaneously approach red and large stimuliFreeland LV Emmerson MG Vasas V Gomes J Versace E
Learning & Behavior, Springer Nature vol. 53 (2), 145-156.
16-08-2024
Spontaneous biases enhance generalization in the neonate brainWang S Vasas V Freeland L Osorio D Versace E
Iscience, Elsevier vol. 27 (7)
07-06-2024
Reproductive isolation arises during laboratory adaptation to a novel hot environmentHsu S-K Lai W-Y Novak J Lehner F Jakšić AM Versace E Schlötterer C
Genome Biology, Springer Nature vol. 25 (1)
28-05-2024
2023
Robotics for poultry farming: challenges and opportunitiesOzenturk U Chen Z Jamone L Versace E
In Arxiv
08-11-2023
Learning to detect an animal sound from five examplesNolasco I Singh S Morfi V Lostanlen V Strandburg-Peshkin A Vidaña-Vila E Gill L Pamuła H et al.
Ecological Informatics, Elsevier vol. 77
10-08-2023
Crossmodal association between visual and acoustic cues in a tortoise (Testudo hermanni)Loconsole M Stancher G Versace E
Biology Letters, The Royal Society vol. 19 (7)
01-07-2023
A spontaneous gravity prior: Newborn chicks prefer stimuli that move against gravityVersace E Bliss L Vasas V Freeland L Roach R Ferrè E
Biology Letters, The Royal Society
08-02-2023
2022
MotionPerfection: An agile tool for the visualisation, analysis, annotation, and record of motor practiceVersace E Gallo V Xin Z Abdallah D Angioi M Redding E Ackroyd B Galvan C
Softwarex, Elsevier
03-11-2022
Joint Scattering for Automatic Chick Call
RecognitionWang C Benetos E Versace E Wang S
30th European Signal Processing Conference Belgrade, Serbia 29 Aug 2022 - 2 Sep 2022., 195-199.
29-08-2022
Motivational trade-offs and modulation of nociception in bumblebeesGibbons M Versace E Crump A Baran B Chittka L
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences vol. 119 (31)
26-07-2022
Recognition of rotated objects and cognitive offloading in dogsVersace E Lonardo L Huber L
Iscience, Elsevier (Cell Press)
26-01-2022
Filial ImprintingVallortigara G Versace E
In Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior, Springer Nature 2726-2728.
01-01-2022
2021
Visual Field Analysis: A reliable method to score left and right eye use using automated trackingJosserand M Rosa-Salva O Versace E Lemaire BS
Behavior Research Methods, Springer Nature vol. 54 (4), 1715-1724.
08-10-2021
Joint Scattering for Automatic Chick Call RecognitionWang C Benetos E Wang S Versace E
In Arxiv
08-10-2021
Attraction for familiar conspecifics in young chicks (Gallus gallus): an interbreed studyVersace E Ragusa M Pallante V Wang S
Behavioural Processes, Elsevier
06-09-2021
Using RoboChick to Identify the Behavioral Features Promoting Social InteractionsSlonina Z Bonzini AA Brown J Wang S Farkhatdinov I Althoefer K Jamone L Versace E
2021 IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning (ICDL).
23-08-2021
Resurgence of an inborn attraction for animate objects via thyroid hormone T3Lorenzi E Lemaire BS Versace E Matsushima T Vallortigara G
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Frontiers Media
19-04-2021
Young chicks quickly lose their spontaneous preference to aggregate with femalesPallante V Rucco D Versace E
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Springer Nature vol. 75 (5)
12-04-2021
Sensitive periods for social development: Interactions between predisposed and learned mechanismsRosa-Salva O Mayer U Versace E Hébert M Lemaire BS Vallortigara G
Cognition, Elsevier vol. 213
02-01-2021
2020
Early preference for face-like stimuli in solitary species as revealed by tortoise hatchlings.Versace E Damini S Stancher G
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
14-09-2020
Individual, but not population asymmetries, are modulated by social environment and genotype in Drosophila melanogasterVersace E Caffini M Werkhoven Z de Bivort BL
Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group vol. 10 (1)
11-03-2020
Rapid sex-specific adaptation to high temperature in DrosophilaVersace E Schloetterer C Hsu S-K Jakšić AM Nolte V Lirakis M Kofler R Barghi N
Elife, Elife Sciences Publications Ltd
21-02-2020
2019
A transient time window for early predispositions in newborn chicksVersace E Ragusa M Vallortigara G
Scientific Reports, Springer Nature vol. 9 (1)
10-12-2019
Inexperienced preys know when to flee or to freeze in front of a threatHebert M Versace E Vallortigara G
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of Usa, National Academy of Sciences
12-11-2019
2018
Spontaneous learning of visual structures in domestic chicksrosa-salva O Fiser J VERSACE E Dolci C Chehaimi S Santolin C Vallortigara G
Animals, Mdpi Ag
06-08-2018
Corrigendum 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 Haase A
Physiology & Behavior, Elsevier vol. 194
24-05-2018
Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Impairs Social Predispositions of Newly-Hatched ChicksSgadò P Rosa-Salva O VERSACE E Vallortigara G
Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group
12-04-2018
Born to be asocial: Newly-hatched tortoises avoid unfamiliar individualsVERSACE E Damini S Caffini M Stancher G
Animal Behaviour, Elsevier Masson
30-03-2018
Filial ImprintingVallortigara G Versace E
In Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior, Springer Nature 1-4.
01-01-2018
2017
Spontaneous generalization of abstract multimodal patterns in young domestic chicksVersace E Spierings MJ Caffini M ten Cate C Vallortigara G
Animal Cognition, Springer Nature vol. 20 (3), 521-529.
04-03-2017
Newborn chicks show inherited variability in early social predispositions for hen-like stimuliVersace E Fracasso I Baldan G Dalle Zotte A Vallortigara G
Scientific Reports, Springer Nature vol. 7 (1)
24-01-2017
2016
Lateralized antennal control of aggression and sex differences in red mason bees, Osmia bicornisRogers LJ Frasnelli E Versace E
Scientific Reports, Springer Nature vol. 6 (1)
08-07-2016
2014
Experimental evolution reveals habitat‐specific fitness dynamics among Wolbachia clades in Drosophila melanogasterVersace E Nolte V Pandey RV Tobler R Schlötterer C
Molecular Ecology, Wiley vol. 23 (4), 802-814.
29-01-2014
Duration discrimination in the bumblebee Bombus terrestrisDavidson A Nanda I Mun AOL Chittka L Versace E
In Biorxiv
Crossmodal pitch-luminance association in tortoisesLoconsole M Malaman B Stancher G Versace E
In Biorxiv
Exploring Tactile Perception for Object Localization in Granular Media: A Human and Robotic StudyChen Z Crucianelli L Versace E Jamone L
2025 IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning Czech Technical University (CTU) in Prague 16 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025.
Sex, not familiarity, shapes social interactions in adult tortoises (Testudo hermanni)Damini S Versace E Stancher G
In Biorxiv
Evolutionary compromises to metabolic toxins: Ammonia and urea tolerance in Drosophila suzukii and Drosophila melanogasterBellini V Galeazzi A Bernini G Mandrioli M VERSACE E Haase A
Physiology and Behavior, Elsevier
Priors in Animal and Artificial Intelligence: Where does learning begin?VERSACE E Martinho-Truswell A Kacelnik A Vallortigara G
Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Elsevier
Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid Affects Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched ChicksLorenzi E Pross A Rosa Salva O VERSACE E Sgadò P Vallortigara G
Frontiers in Physiology, Frontiers Media
Positional encoding in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)Versace E Rogge JR Shelton-May N Ravignani A
Animal Cognition, Springer (Part of Springer Nature)
Stability and individual variability of social attachment in imprintingLemaire B Rucco D Josserand M Vallortigara G Versace E
Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group
Light-induced asymmetries in the embryonic retina are mediated by the vascular system and extracellular matrixVersace E Sgadò P George J Loveland JL Ward J Thorpe P Jensen LJ Spencer KA et al.
In Biorxiv
Motivational trade-offs in bumblebeesGibbons M Versace E Crump A Baran B Chittka L
In Biorxiv
Two different adaptive speciation mechanisms operate during adaptation to a novel hot environmentHsu S-K Lai W-Y Novak J Lehner F Jakšić AM Versace E Schlötterer C
In Biorxiv
Visual Field Analysis: a reliable method to score left- and right eye-use using automated trackingJosserand M Rosa-Salva O Versace E Lemaire BS
In Biorxiv
Recognition of familiar objects in tortoise hatchlings (Testudo spp.)Damini S Stancher G Versace E
In Biorxiv
Young domestic chicks spontaneously represent the absence of objectsSzabó E Chiandetti C Téglás E Versace E Csibra G Kovács ÁM Vallortigara G
In Biorxiv
Resurgence of a perinatal attraction for animate objects via thyroid hormone T3Lorenzi E Lemaire BS Versace E Matsushima T Vallortigara G
In Biorxiv
Young chicks quickly lose their spontaneous preference to aggregate with femalesPallante V Rucco D Versace E
In Biorxiv
Conserved abilities of individual recognition and genetically modulated social responses in young chicks (Gallus gallus)Versace E Ragusa M Pallante V
In Biorxiv
Individual, but not population asymmetries, are modulated by social environment and genotype in Drosophila melanogasterVersace E Caffini M Werkhoven Z de Bivort BL
In Biorxiv
A transient time window for early predispositions in newborn chicksVersace E Ragusa M Vallortigara G
In Biorxiv
Embryonic Exposure to Valproic Acid impairs Social Predispositions for Dynamic Cues of Animate Motion in Newly-Hatched ChicksLorenzi E Pross A Rosa-Salva O Versace E Sgadò P Vallortigara G
In Biorxiv
Light-induced asymmetries in embryonic retinal gene expression are mediated by the vascular system and extracellular matrixVersace E Sgadò P George J Loveland J Ward J Thorpe P Jensen LJ Spencer K et al.
Scientific Reports, Nature Research
Newborn chicks prefer stimuli that move against gravityBliss L Vasas V Freeland L Roach R Ferrè ER Versace E
In Biorxiv
First-sight recognition of touched objects shows that chicks can solve the Molyneux’s problemVersace E Freeland L Wang S Emmerson MG
In Biorxiv
Assessing preferences for adult vs juvenile features in young animals: newly-hatched chicks spontaneously approach red and large stimuliFreeland L Vasas V Gomes J Versace E
In Biorxiv
Pitch-size crossmodal correspondence in tortoises (Testudo hermanni)Loconsole M Stancher G Versace E
In Biorxiv
Spontaneous biases enhance generalisation in the neonate brainWang S Vasas V Freeland L Osorio D Versace E
In Biorxiv
Noxious stimulation induces self-protective behaviour in bumblebeesGibbons M Pasquini E Kowalewska A Read E Gibson S Crump A Solvi C Versace E et al.
In Biorxiv
First-sight recognition of touched objects shows that chicks can solve Molyneux’s problemVersace E
Biology Letters, The Royal Society
Noxious stimulation induces self-protective behavior in bumblebeesGibbons M Kowalewka A Pasquini E Gibson S Read E Crump A Versace E Solvi C et al.
Iscience, Cell Press
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Biodiversity and SustainabilityGeneralisation from limited experience: how to solve the problem of inductionElisabetta Versace
£269,334 Leverhulme Trust
23-08-2021 - 31-03-2026
Royal Society Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowships 2021 - Generalisation using sparse data: From animal to artificial systemsElisabetta Versace
£61,326 Royal Society
01-11-2021 - 30-06-2024
Augmented feedback to enhance motor and artistic learning during social distancingElisabetta 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
General AI and interactive robots for farmingElisabetta Versace and Alan Walker
£22,000 Alan Turing Institute, The
01-01-2020 - 28-02-2021
Dissecting the preference for social reciprocity at birth: A virtual reality study in chicksElisabetta Versace
£19,999 Royal Society
15-03-2019 - 14-03-2020
Developmental reprogramming following prenatal acoustic signalsElisabetta Versace
£518,189 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01-12-2018 - 31-01-2024
Research Group
PhD Students
- Jue Chen
Pet-Bot: Multisensory-Integrated Robot-Animal Interactions. - Zhengqi Chen
Tactile Retrieval of Objects Buried Within Granular Materials Using a Distributed 3-Axis Tactile Sensor - Alexander Davidson
Time Processing in Bees - Rosie Davis
Positive Balance: Digital Technologies to Support Mental Health and Wellbeing During Adolescence - Saeedeh Hosseinian
Genetics of Impulsivity: Identification of Genes and Pathways Associated With Impulsivity in Zebrafish and Humans - Kit Huang
Positive Balance: Develop Digital Technology For Building Well-Being and Resilience Skills For Adolescents - Robyn Roach
Exploring The Neurobiological and Cognitive Basis of How Perceptions of Gravity and Motion Are Encoded in The Brains of The Domestic Chick: a Study of Natural and Unnatural Trajectories - Antonella Torrisi
Enhancing The Affective State of Chicks Through Communication With An Artificial Agent
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