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Chen Group

Genetic control of innate animal behavior

The group starts at EMBL from Septermber 2026.

The Chen group investigates the genetic control and evolution of innate animal behavior using high-throughput omics and computational approaches.

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Previous and current research

The existence of innate animal behaviors that are heritable and don’t require learning suggests that behavior can be controlled, in part, by genes. However, only a handful of behavior-modifying genes are known, and even less is known about the mechanisms by which they act. The Chen group combines natural behavioral variation with high-throughput genomics, single-cell transcriptomics, and computational biology to identify the genes, cell types, and molecular pathways that govern innate behavior. By integrating evolutionary and mechanistic approaches, we aim to understand how genetic variation gives rise to behavioral diversity.

Future projects and goals

One major goal of our lab is to identify the genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of monogamy and monogamy-related behaviors. We leverage the independent evolution of monogamy in multiple rodent species, including Peromyscus polionotus (beach mice), Peromyscus californicus (California mice), and Microtus ochrogaster (prarie voles), to identify shared and species-specific mechanisms underlying social behavior. Using these systems, we aim to:

  • Combine genetic crosses, behavioral assays, and single-cell transcriptomics to map genetic loci that influence neuronal cell-type composition and behavior
  • Use comparative multi-omics across species to identify convergently evolved genes and regulatory programs associated with monogamy
  • Functionally test candidate behavior-modifying genes using neurogenetic and genome-editing approaches 

A second major goal of our lab is to develop computational approaches to discover novel peptide hormones that play important roles in physiology and behavior. To achieve this, we aim to:

  • Develop protein language model-based approaches for peptide discovery and prediction
  • Integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data to infer peptide function
  • Experimentally characterize novel peptide functions in vitro and in mouse models
Immunoreactive staining of arginine vasopressin (AVP) showing the large reduction of AVP+ neurons in the monogamous Peromyscus polionotus compared to the promiscuous Peromyscus maniculatus. This change in cellular abundance may underlie evolutionary differences in innate parental care behaviors. 

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