Behavioral neuroscience, maternal behavior, epigenetics

Prof. Champagne’s main research interest concerns how genetic and environmental factors interact to regulate maternal behavior, and how natural variations in this behavior can shape the behavioral development of offspring through epigenetic changes in gene expression in a brain region specific manner.

Prof. Champagne’s current and future research will focus on 1) investigating the epigenetic mechanisms via which individual variation in reproductive and social behavior can be induced via variation in early life experiences (prenatal and postnatal), 2) investigating the epigenetic mechanisms via which offspring may overcome or be resilient to such early life experiences, 3) exploration of the interplay between mothers and fathers in offspring development and 4) determine the transgenerational effects of early life experiences.

Monk C, Spicer J, Champagne FA (2012) Linking prenatal maternal adversity to developmental outcomes in infants: The role of epigenetic pathways. Development & Psychopathology 24(4): 1361-1376.

Danchin E, Charmantier A, Champagne FA, Mesoudi A, Pujol B, Blanchet S. (2011) Beyond DNA: Integrating inclusive inheritance into an extended theory of evolution. Nature Reviews Genetics 12(7):475-86.

Champagne FA (2008) Epigenetic mechanisms and the transgenerational effects of maternal care. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology 29(3): 386-397.

• W2480 The Developing Brain
• W3435 Neurobiology of Reproductive Behavior
• G4490 Inheritance
• G4495 Ethics, Genetics, and the Brain