Frances A. Champagne, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Psychology, at Columbia University.
Research Focus
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:
- 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),
- investigating the epigenetic mechanisms via which offspring may overcome or be resilient to such early life experiences,
- exploration of the interplay between mothers and fathers in offspring development and
- determine the transgenerational effects of early life experiences.
Select Publications
Champagne FA. Epigenetic mechanisms and the transgenerational effects of maternal care. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology. 2008; 29(3): 386-397. PMCID: PMC2682215
Curley JP, Davidson S, Bateson P & Champagne FA. Social enrichment during postnatal development induces transgenerational effects on emotional and reproductive behavior in mice. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2009; 3:25. PMCID: PMC2759344 Curley JP, Rock V, Moynihan AM, Bateson P, Keverne EB, Champagne FA.
Developmental shifts in the behavioral phenotypes of inbred mice: The role of postnatal and juvenile social experiences. Behavioral Genetics 2010; 40:220-32. PMCID: PMC2862468 Danchin E, Charmantier A, Champagne FA, Mesoudi A, Pujol B, Blanchet S. Beyond DNA: Integrating inclusive inheritance into an extended theory of evolution. Nature Reviews Genetics 2011; 12(7):475-86.
Jensen-Peña CL, Monk C, & Champagne FA. Epigenetic effects of prenatal stress on 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 in the placenta and fetal brain. PLoS One 2012; 7(6):e39791. PMCID: PMC3383683 Mashoodh R, Franks B, Curley JP, & Champagne FA. Paternal social enrichment effects on maternal behavior and offspring growth.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 2012; 109 Suppl 2:17232-8. PMCID: PMC3477388 Branchi I, Curley JP, D’Andrea I, Cirulli F, Champagne FA, & Alleva E.
Early interactions with mother and peers independently build adult social skills and shape BDNF and oxytocin receptor brain levels.
Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38(4):522-32. PMCID: PMC3522751 Kundakovic M, Lim S, Gudsnuk K, Champagne FA. Sex-specific and strain-dependent effects of early life adversity on behavioral and epigenetic outcomes. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2013; 4:78.
Peña CJ, Neugut YD, Champagne FA. Developmental timing of the effects of maternal care on gene expression and epigenetic regulation of hormone receptor levels in female rats. Endocrinology 2013; 154(11):4340-51. PMCID: PMC3800762 Peña CJ, Neugut YD, Calarco CA, Champagne FA. Effects of maternal care on the development of midbrain dopamine pathways and reward-directed behavior in female offspring. European Journal of Neuroscience 2014; 39(6):946-56.