Dr. Christine Merlin

Biography

Christine Merlin is a Professor and Presidential Impact Fellow at Texas A&M University, specializing in circadian biology. Her research focuses on understanding how organisms, from bacteria to humans, respond and adapt to changing environments through the mechanisms of circadian clocks. These biological rhythms regulate various biochemical, physiological, and behavioral activities, enabling organisms to synchronize their activities with daily and seasonal environmental changes. In her lab, she utilizes the eastern North American migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as a model system to explore the role of circadian clocks and clock genes in long-distance migration. The lab is actively involved in studying the genetic and molecular underpinnings of the migratory behavior of monarchs, including the mechanisms that govern the seasonal migratory switch as well as innovative gene-targeting approaches. Christine completed her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Animal Biology and Insect Physiology at the University Paris 6 Pierre Marie Curie, France, and undertook postdoctoral research in Molecular Neuroethology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, USA.

Research Interests

Experience