Princeton University · NeuroscienceThe Epigenetic Resilience Lab
Catherine Jensen Pena · Princeton, New Jersey
Research Focus
Dr. Catherine Jensen Pena's lab at Princeton University investigates how early life adversity (ELA) affects brain development and influences sensitivity to stress in later life. They explore the role of epigenetic changes, particularly in the chromatin structure of the brain, to understand the biological underpinnings of depression and anxiety. The lab uses innovative techniques and a mouse model to test how these changes may lead to mental health challenges like anxiety and depression.
early life adversityepigeneticschromatinstress sensitivitymental healthtranscriptomicsmouse modelsCRISPRanxietydepression
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how early life adversity alters chromatin landscape maturation.
AIM 02Understand the role of chromatin changes in future stress responses.
AIM 03Develop epigenome editing tools to target genomic locations of interest.
AIM 04Test the impact of chromatin modifications on stress sensitivity in vivo.
AIM 05Translate findings to inform potential interventions for mental health.
Skills the Lab Values
chromatin analysisATAC-seqgene expression profilingmouse modelsepigenome editingin vitro experimentsbehavioral assaysbioinformaticsdata analysisPCR
Output against the department
Publications103bottom 35% of dept.436th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.3kbottom 43% of dept.381st of 671
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.