Professor Champagne currently teaches several courses through the Department of Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. These include:
The Developing Brain
A course on brain development across the life span with emphasis on the fetal and postnatal periods. Explores how the environment shapes brain development leading to altered adult health and behavior.
Behavioral Epigenetics
A seminar course explores the topic of epigenetics – a route through which genes can be turned on or turned off – and the relationship between epigenetics and behavior. Examines the history of behavioral epigenetics, the relationship between environmental exposures and epigenetic effects and the implications of these effects for behavior, psychopathology, aging and health outcomes.
Ethics, Genetics and the Brain
In this seminar course, the implications of advances in genetics and neuroscience are considered. These advances have expanded our understanding of the biological basis of behavior and risk of psychiatric disorder but may have implications for decision/policy making, legal issues, and society and raise broad ethical concerns. In this course, we will consider the future challenges that may arise from the evolving study of the genetic and neurobiological determinants of behavior.
Who do you think you are?
The concept of inheritance can be used very broadly and has implications for our understanding of biology, society, history and how we define who we are. This course will explore the topic of inheritance from the perspective of a broad range of disciplines to provide insights into the origins of what makes us unique and similar to our ancestors and descendants. Topics to be covered include: historical views on inheritance, evolution, genetic determinism, epigenetics, biological engineering, family history, historical trauma, health and longevity, inheritance and the law, social learning, cultural inheritance, monarchy, inheritance in literature and films, and social and environmental advocacy.