Dr. Paul Bonthuis
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor, Comparative Biosciences
Email: bonthuis@illinois.edu
Phone: (217) 244-7197
Personal Statement
My research interest is focused on epigenetic regulation of gene expression patterns in the brain and their effects on social behaviors and psychiatric diseases. Specifically, I have been studying genomic imprinting effects in monoamine neurotransmitter systems of the brain, and their functional impacts on mammalian social behaviors. Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon where some genes preferentially express the allele inherited from either the mother (maternally expressed genes) or the father (paternally expressed genes). Imprinting in the brain is hypothesized to regulate social behavior in offspring, and we aim to identify imprinting effects in the brain in order to identify neural circuits that regulate specific aspects of social behavior. My goal as a principle investigator is to make important discoveries in neuroscience while fostering an environment where trainees at all educational and career stages may achieve their full potential.
Academic Positions
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Lab of Chris Gregg, University of Utah, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy
- Graduate Student, Lab of Emilie Rissman, University of Virginia, Neuroscience Graduate Program
Education
- PhD, Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- BS, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle
Courses Taught
- VM 602 Structure and Function I, Lecturer, Veterinary Medicine, UIUC
- CB 591 Seminar Series, Co-director, Comparative Biosciences, UIUC
- CB 514 Neurotoxicology, Guest Lecturer, Comparative Biosciences, UIUC
- Medical Neuroanatomy, Lab Instructor, School of Medicine, University of Utah
- Pre-meeting Workshop: Basics and latest trends in CRISPR mouse genome editing technologies, 14th Transgenic Technology Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT
Current Members
Dr. Daryl Meling
Lab Manager
Email: dmeling@illinois.edu
Phone: (217) 300-9035
Office: VMBSB 3846
Daryl is involved in several Bonthuis Lab projects that focus on genomic imprinting in the mouse brain. His previous research on campus has involved studies of kinases, cytochrome P450 enzymes, obesity, endocrine disrupting chemicals, neuroimmunology, and reproductive biology.
Education
- PhD, Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- BS, Agricultural Biochemistry, Iowa State University
Erin O’Leary
Graduate Student
Email: emo4@illinois.edu
Office: VMBSB 3834
Erin is a graduate student in the Neuroscience Program and is originally from Chicago. She studies imprinted genes in the monoamine synthesis pathway and their effects on social behavior. She utilizes both rodent social behavior assays and a variety of sequencing techniques to understand how epigenetics play a role in these complex behavioral circuits. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her cat, Xena, and greyhound, Kevin.
Education
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- BA, Neuroscience, The College of Wooster
Luke Tamas
Undergraduate Student
Email: atamas3@illinois.edu
Lab: VMBSB 3811
Education
- Major, Psychology: Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Nathan Yoon
Undergraduate Student
Email: nbyoon2@illinois.edu
Lab: VMBSB 3811
Nathan is currently a senior in psychology. He is involved in a variety of projects, with a primary focus on using intracranial viral reporters for circuit tracing studies of monoaminergic neurons with genomic imprinting allelic expression profiles. Alongside his research, he works in an emergency room as a licensed EMT and hopes to pursue a career as an emergency physician.
Education
- Major, Psychology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Anne-Farah Usman
Former Undergraduate Student
Email: afusman2@illinois.edu
Anne-Farah is a graduate in Molecular Cellular Biology and minor in Public Health. Her contribution to the lab was studying the effects of nonconical imprinting of the Tyrosine Hydroxylase gene on social behaviors. In her free time she enjoys sailing, playing basketball, and taking long walks. After graduating in 2024, she entered the graduate program at the University of Chicago to pursue a PhD in the field of epigenetics and gene regulation.
Education
- BA, Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Doctoral Student Human Genetics, Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago
Elliot Yoon
Undergraduate Student
Email: eyoon21@illinois.edu
Lab: VMBSB 3811
Elliot is a sophomore in Kinesiology and plans to attend medical school after graduating from UIUC. His research involves neural circuit tracing studies using intracranial viral reporters of monoaminergic cell types, and peripheral nervous system in situ hybridization studies of allelic gene expression.
Education
- Major, Kinesiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Moudar Dweydari
Undergraduate Student
Email: mdweyd2@illinois.edu
Lab: VMBSB 3811
Mo works on behavioral testing and genotyping. Looking ahead, he hopes to one day help others through a career in cardiology.
Education
- Major, Kinesiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Rachel Eggleston
Academic Research Technologist
Email: rlegg29@illinois.edu
Office: VMBSB 3834
Rachel is originally from Bloomington-Normal, IL and graduated from Illinois State University in 2020. She is currently in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at UIUC and plans include to become a Zoological/Aquatic veterinarian. In her free time she enjoys playing with her forever kitties; Oakley, O’Malley, and Cortland. She also enjoys reading and spending time outside.
Education
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- BS, General Biology, Illinois State University
Sarah Kim
Undergraduate Student
Email: sgk7@illinois.edu
Office: VMBSB 3811
Sarah is a junior at UIUC majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Psychology and Chemistry. She is currently studying the effects of chronic social defeat on behavior and gene expression. In her free time, she enjoys baking and drawing. She hopes to pursue a PhD in neuroscience after graduation.
Education
- Major, Neuroscience, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ananya Sampathkumar
Undergraduate Student
Email: asamp2@illinois.edu
Office: VMBSB 3811
Ananya is a junior at UIUC majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Public Health. She is currently studying maternal behavior in female Heterozygous Dopa Decarboxylase mutant mice. In her free time, she enjoys making jewelry, reading, and going on walks. After graduating, she plans to attend medical school.
Education
- Major, Neuroscience, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Mayu Nakazato
Undergraduate Student
Email: mayuan2@illinois.edu
Office: VMBSB 3811
Mayu is a junior majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Computer Science. She is currently studying the changes in differential gene expression in the anteroventral periventricular (AVPV) region of the brain across puberty and sex, and examining how imprinted genes may correlate with these developmental changes. In her free time, she enjoys creating art and watching Netflix. After graduating, she plans to attend medical school.
Education
- Major, Neuroscience, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Daania Bhatty
Undergraduate Student
Email: dbhat8@illinois.edu
Office: VMBSB 3811
Daania is a junior at UIUC majoring in Integrative Biology with minors in Chemistry and Health Technology. She is currently studying the genes Dopa Decarboxylase and Tyrosine Hydroxylase and their impact on the dopamine and serotonin synthesis pathway of the brain tissue in heterozygous mutant mice. In her free time, she enjoys playing rock climbing and teaching. After graduation, she plans on attending medical school
Education
- Major, Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Rachel Bender
Graduate Student
Email: rachel46@illinois.edu
Office: VMBSB 3811
Rachel Bender is a graduate student in the Neuroscience Program. She is originally from Downers Grove, IL and graduated from Wartburg College with a BA in neuroscience. She enjoys reading, cooking, and weightlifting. Rachel is interested in investigating molecular neuroscience and neuropharmacology.
Education
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- BA Neuroscience, Wartburg College