Adam Smith is a love doctor - for monkeys.

Smith, a graduate student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, recently was awarded a three-year fellowship for his research on the role that oxytocin, a hormone, plays in the monogamous relationships monkeys maintain with each other.

The National Science Foundation will provide Smith, 22, with an annual stipend of $30,000 as well as $10,500 a year to cover tuition.

Smith, an Omaha Bryan graduate, is seeking his master's and doctorate in psychobiology at UNO. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from UNO.

Smith is looking to determine whether elevating or suppressing the oxytocin in marmoset monkeys will affect the social behavior that influences the monogamous relationships of adult male and female monkeys.

"The overarching story (of the study) is manipulating the levels of oxytocin, the resulting behavioral and social changes and the consequences of those behaviors," he said.

Smith said this study is important because it will shed light on how oxytocin influences human relationships.

Jeff French, Varner professor of psychology and biology at UNO and research lab supervisor, said a better understanding of human relationships can improve people's quality of life and lead to better general health.

"One of the fundamental features of being a human is having social relationships," he said, "and we all know these relationships have a huge impact on our psychological and physical well-being."

The study, which began in February and will run until September, involves giving five monkeys food laced with the oxytocin hormone. Those monkeys then are each paired with a monkey that hasn't been given the hormone. The pair is then observed for about three weeks.

Smith said there were no negative side effects to increasing or suppressing the levels of oxytocin in the monkeys. He said the hormone is considered safe to administer to the marmosets because there are oxytocin nasal sprays approved for human use.

Marmoset monkeys are squirrel-sized primates found in Brazil. Smith said the marmosets were chosen because they are one of the few monogamous primates.

Smith said the UNO research center is a noninvasive facility - none of the animals receives injections, has blood drawn or undergoes other invasive procedures.

While previous studies of oxytocin have used rodents, Smith said this study is the first to use primates.

French said he was proud to have Smith's work at UNO recognized by the National Science Foundation.

"It's a great validation that the quality of work my students are doing is as good as anyone in the nation," he said.