Frances A. Champagne Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Columbia University. Dr. Champagne’s main research interest concerns how genetic and environmental factors interact to shape the brain and behavior through epigenetic changes in gene expression. Studies in rodents suggest that the quality of maternal care received in infancy can lead to long-term changes in offspring gene expression and behavior. Dr. Champagne’s current and ongoing research explores the implications of these influences for the transmission of behavior across generations and the molecular mechanisms through which these effects are achieved. Dr. Champagne uses rodent models to study epigenetics, neurobiology, and behavior and also collaborates with clinical researchers who would like to apply the study of epigenetics to better understand origins of variation in human behavior. In addition to investigating the modulating effects of mother-infant interactions, Dr. Champagne is currently exploring a broad array of social influences and environmental exposures and is exploring the mechanisms of risk vs. resilience to such early life experiences.
Dr. Champagne received an MSc in Psychiatry (1999) and PhD in Neuroscience (2004) from McGill University. In 2007 she received an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and her research is funded by NIMH and NIEHS.
Dr. Champagne is a faculty member of the Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Columbia Population Research Center (CPRC), and the Columbia Center for Research on Ethical, Legal & Social Implications of Psychiatric, Neurologic & Behavioral Genetics.