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cfDNA and cfmDNA

Chronic psychosocial stress makes sick, whereas physical stress is beneficial for both physical and mental health. We put 20 healthy young men under stress both psychosocially using TSST and physically on the treadmill.

DNA Methylation Analysis

There is evidence that aversive life events leave epigenetic traces in the DNA. Therefore, DNA methylation has been increasingly examined in the context of psychiatric and / or behavioral studies in recent years.

Duisburg Birth Cohort Study

The Duisburg Birth Cohort Study is a prospective-longitudinal study that aims to investigate the long-term effects of prenatal low-dose exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on child and adolescence development.

Epigenetic signatures of war and conflict-related trauma

There exists significant variability in PTSD prevalence following trauma exposure. Epigenetic processes have been proposed as a mediating mechanism.

Extinction Learning

Learning is difficult, forgetting is sometimes even much harder. Unlearning, relearning or extinction learning – these all belong to what we would generally call forgetting and what is the subject of our research.

miRNAs and Human Behavior

MicroRNAs could have an immense influence in the development of complex personality traits and psychiatric illnesses, since a single microRNA can regulate many different genes in their expression.

ProChild

Being exposed to violence and maltreatment as a child is a well-documented risk factor for abnormal development. Children of mothers with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are at a particularly high risk of experiencing violence and maltreatment.

Genetic Psychology

The Department of Genetic Psychology was established in October 2013. We are interested in how genetic and environmental factors work together to shape the course of human development. Particular focus of our research concerns the long-term consequences of exposures to adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse and neglect or growing up in institutions.

Using a range of methods, including the study of genetic variation, gene expression patterns and epigenetics, as well as the characterization of stress physiology, we are trying to understand how psychosocial experiences become biologically embedded and influence developmental trajectories and outcomes across the life-span.

Contact

Genetic Psychology
Universitätsstr. 150
IB 5/115 post-office box 20
Phone: +49 234 32 25299
Fax: +49 234 32 14564
E-Mail: gen-psych@rub.de

NEWS

As of May 2021 Prof. Dr. Robert Kumsta accepted a position as Full Professor of Biopsychology at the Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences at the Université du Luxembourg.