TOPIC
  The course will provide an overview of the field of epigenetics and the tools for studying epigenetic effects.  The term “epigenetics” refers to very different processes depending on the context in which it is used.  Environmentally mediated effects on development have been referred to as epigenetic and this use of the term is linked to “epigenesis” or the process of early development.  In molecular biology, epigenetic refers to changes in DNA structure but not sequence that can alter the expression levels of a gene.  These same molecular modifications can mediate parent-of-origin effects on gene expression and development in the phenomena of genomic imprinting.  A common theme amongst these definitions is the notion that there are dynamic mechanisms that regulate the pathway from genotype to phenotype.  Understanding these pathways and the role of environment in modulating gene expression can give us insights into the origin of individual differences and provide mechanisms for understanding transgenerational effects.

During this course, Dr. Frances Champagne will highlight current research that focuses on epigenetics and health outcomes including cancer biology, nutrition and toxin exposure as well as exploring the role of epigenetics in mediating individual differences in behavior and parent-of-origin effects.  Approximately one third of the class will be devoted to discussion of the attendee’s particular research questions of interest and how epigenetics can be studied in those particular contexts. 

AUDIENCE

This course is designed for researchers in behavioral and social sciences who are interested in gaining a better understanding of the biological interplay between genes and environments.

INSTRUCTOR
  Frances Champagne, PhD, received her graduate training at McGill University in Montreal, completing a Master’s degree in the Department of Psychiatry and a Ph.D with Dr. Michael Meaney in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery. Her thesis research involved exploration of the neurobiology of individual differences in maternal behavior in rodents and the epigenetic mechanisms mediating the transmission of maternal care across generations. After completion of her Ph.D. she continued her research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom studying the role of genomic imprinting in reproductive behavior. In 1996, Dr. Champagne was appointed Assistant Professor at Columbia University in the Department of Psychology where she has developed a research group to investigate maternal regulation of epigenetic modifications.

REQUIRED READING
Jirtle RL, Skinner MK. (2007) Environmental epigenomics and disease susceptibility. Nat Rev Genet. 8(4):253-62.

Champagne FA, Curley JP. (2005) How social experiences influence the brain. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 15(6):704-9.

Szyf M, Weaver IC, Champagne FA, Diorio J, Meaney MJ. (2005) Maternal programming of steroid

receptor expression and phenotype through DNA methylation in the rat. Front Neuroendocrinol. 26(3-4):139-62.

Wilkinson LS, Davies W, Isles AR. (2007) Genomic imprinting effects on brain development and function. Nat Rev Neurosci. 8(11):832-43.

To register
This short course is open free of charge to faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students at Columbia University as well as faculty and postdoctoral fellows at other sites of the Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholars (H&SS) Program. Enrollment is limited to 30; H&SS affiliates will have priority.  Attendees must RSVP to Claire Espey cte2105@columbia.edu.

The Health & Society Scholars Program at Columbia University is a postdoctoral program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It is a joint initiative of the Mailman School of Public Health and the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP) at Columbia, and is co-directed by Bruce Link and Peter Bearman. For more information call 212-854-3694 or email chssp@columbia.edu