![](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2020\/06\/paul-bonthuis.png\" "\\"Paul")
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Dr. Paul Bonthuis<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Principal Investigator<\/h5>\n
Assistant Professor, Comparative Biosciences
\nEmail: bonthuis@illinois.edu<\/a>
\nPhone: (217) 244-7197<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/a>![\"Personal](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2020\/06\/home-icon.png\")
<\/a>![\"Research](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2020\/06\/research-gate.png\")
<\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Personal Statement<\/h5>\n
My research interest is focused on epigenetic regulation of gene expression patterns in the brain and their effects on social behaviors and psychiatric diseases.\u00a0 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).\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\nAcademic Positions<\/h5>\n\n- Postdoctoral Fellow, Lab of Chris Gregg<\/a>, University of Utah, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy<\/a><\/li>\n
- Graduate Student, Lab of Emilie Rissman<\/a>, University of Virginia, Neuroscience Graduate Program<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/i>\u00a0Education<\/h5>\n\n\n- PhD, Neuroscience<\/a>, University of Virginia, Charlottesville<\/li>\n
- BS, Cell and Molecular Biology<\/a>, University of Washington, Seattle<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/i>\u00a0Courses Taught<\/h5>\n\n- VM 602 Structure and Function I<\/a>, Lecturer, Veterinary Medicine, UIUC<\/li>\n
- CB 591 Seminar Series<\/a>, Co-director, Comparative Biosciences, UIUC<\/li>\n
- CB 514 Neurotoxicology<\/a>, Guest Lecturer, Comparative Biosciences, UIUC<\/li>\n
- Medical Neuroanatomy, Lab Instructor, School of Medicine, University of Utah<\/li>\n
- Pre-meeting Workshop: Basics and latest trends in CRISPR mouse genome editing technologies, 14th Transgenic Technology Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2020\/12\/BONTHUISLABlogo-copy-300x91.jpg\" "\\"BONTHUISLABlogo")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/h2>\nCurrent Members<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Daryl](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2021\/11\/meling_d.jpeg\" "\\"Daryl")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Dr. Daryl Meling<\/h3>\n<\/div>Lab Manager<\/h5>\n
Email: dmeling@illinois.edu<\/a>
\nPhone: (217) 300-9035<\/a>
\nOffice: VMBSB 3846<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>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.<\/p>\n<\/div>
Education<\/h5>\n\n- PhD, Biochemistry<\/a>, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign<\/li>\n
- BS, Agricultural Biochemistry<\/a>, Iowa State University<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2025\/06\/ErinOleary-225x300.jpeg\" "\\"ErinOleary\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Erin O’Leary<\/h3>\n<\/div>Graduate Student<\/h5>\n
Email: emo4@illinois.edu<\/a>
\nOffice: VMBSB 3834<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>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\u00a0role in these complex behavioral circuits.\u00a0In her free time, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her cat, Xena, and greyhound, Kevin.<\/p>\n<\/div>
Education<\/h5>\n\n- Neuroscience Program<\/a>, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign<\/li>\n
- BA, Neuroscience<\/a>, The College of Wooster<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2025\/06\/Bender_Rachel-247x300.jpeg\" "\\"Bender_Rachel\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Rachel Bender<\/h3>\n<\/div>Graduate Student<\/h5>\n
Email: rachel46@illinois.edu<\/a>
\nOffice: VMBSB 3811<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Rachel is a graduate student in the Neuroscience Program<\/a>.\u00a0 She is originally from Downers Grove, Illinois and graduated from Wartburg College with a BS in neuroscience.\u00a0 She enjoys reading, cooking, and weightlifting.\u00a0 Rachel is interesed in investigating molecular neuroscience and neuropharmacology.<\/p>\n<\/div>Education<\/h5>\n\n- Neuroscience Program<\/a>, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign<\/li>\n
- BS, Neuroscience,<\/a> Wartburg College<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2024\/03\/Elliot_Yoon_HS-300x261.jpg\" "\\"Elliot_Yoon_HS\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Elliot Yoon<\/h3>\n<\/div>Undergraduate Student<\/h5>\n
Email: eyoon21@illinois.edu<\/a>
\nLab: VMBSB 3811<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>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 <\/em>hybridization studies of allelic gene expression.<\/p>\n<\/div>Education<\/h5>\n\n- Major, Kinesiology<\/a>, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/vetmed.illinois.edu\/bonthuis-lab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/115\/2025\/06\/SarahKim-200x300.jpg\" "\\"SarahKim\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/h3>\nSarah Kim<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/h5>\nUndergraduate Student<\/h5>\n
Email: sgk7@illinois.edu<\/a>
\nOffice: VMBSB 3811<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Sarah is a junior at UIUC majoring in Neuroscience<\/a> 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>Education<\/h5>\n
Principal Investigator<\/h5>\n
Assistant Professor, Comparative Biosciences My research interest is focused on epigenetic regulation of gene expression patterns in the brain and their effects on social behaviors and psychiatric diseases.\u00a0 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).\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n<\/div> Email: dmeling@illinois.edu<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n<\/div> Email: emo4@illinois.edu<\/a> 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\u00a0role in these complex behavioral circuits.\u00a0In her free time, she enjoys gardening and spending time with her cat, Xena, and greyhound, Kevin.<\/p>\n<\/div> Email: rachel46@illinois.edu<\/a> Rachel is a graduate student in the Neuroscience Program<\/a>.\u00a0 She is originally from Downers Grove, Illinois and graduated from Wartburg College with a BS in neuroscience.\u00a0 She enjoys reading, cooking, and weightlifting.\u00a0 Rachel is interesed in investigating molecular neuroscience and neuropharmacology.<\/p>\n<\/div> Email: eyoon21@illinois.edu<\/a> 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 <\/em>hybridization studies of allelic gene expression.<\/p>\n<\/div> Email: sgk7@illinois.edu<\/a> Sarah is a junior at UIUC majoring in Neuroscience<\/a> 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>
\nEmail: bonthuis@illinois.edu<\/a>
\nPhone: (217) 244-7197<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Personal Statement<\/h5>\n
Academic Positions<\/h5>\n
\n
<\/i>\u00a0Education<\/h5>\n
\n
<\/i>\u00a0Courses Taught<\/h5>\n
\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n
Current Members<\/h2>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Dr. Daryl Meling<\/h3>\n<\/div>
Lab Manager<\/h5>\n
\nPhone: (217) 300-9035<\/a>
\nOffice: VMBSB 3846<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Education<\/h5>\n
\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Erin O’Leary<\/h3>\n<\/div>
Graduate Student<\/h5>\n
\nOffice: VMBSB 3834<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Education<\/h5>\n
\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Rachel Bender<\/h3>\n<\/div>
Graduate Student<\/h5>\n
\nOffice: VMBSB 3811<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Education<\/h5>\n
\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div>Elliot Yoon<\/h3>\n<\/div>
Undergraduate Student<\/h5>\n
\nLab: VMBSB 3811<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Education<\/h5>\n
\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/h3>\n
Sarah Kim<\/h3>\n<\/div>
<\/h5>\n
Undergraduate Student<\/h5>\n
\nOffice: VMBSB 3811<\/p>\n<\/div><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Education<\/h5>\n