
Professor
Institute for Behavioral Genetics • Integrative Physiology
Institute for Behavioral Genetics
University of Colorado Boulder
447 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0447
Research Interests:
- Identification of genetic mechanisms that contribute to alcohol, tobacco, and substance use.
- Application of genomics/bioinformatics resources to study behavior genetics
Active Grants:
- NIDA U01 DA051937 (Ehringer, Bachtell, Saba). Identification of Genes and Genetic Networks Contributing to Opioid Use Disorder Traits in the Hybrid Rat Diversity Panel. Role: MPI
- NIH R21 DA05781 (MPIs: Ehringer, Hoeffer, Stitzel) 9/15/2022 - 08/31/2024 Role of glial expression in nicotine behaviors for genes identified through human GWAS. Role: Contact PI
Additional Resources:
Dr. Ehringer speaks on the Genetics of Substance Abuse:
Current lab

Myra Bower
Predoctoral Trainee
Integrative Physiology • Institute for Behavioral Genetics

Eamonn Duffy
Predoctoral Trainee
Institute for Behavioral Genetics

Erika Mehrhoff
Predoctoral Trainee
Integrative Physiology • Institute for Behavioral Genetics

Pamela Romero-Villela
Predoctoral Trainee
Institute for Behavioral Genetics
Former Trainees
Sonya Belimezova
Doctoral student 2012-2017
Winona Booher
Doctoral student 2016-2021
Logan Bunch
Masters student 2019-2021
Todd Darlington
Doctoral student 2008-2012
Amber Flora
Postdoctoral trainee 2010-2012
Xavier Gallegos
Postdoctoral trainee 2010-2014
Lucy Hall
Masters student 2019-2021
Nicole Hoft
Postdoctoral trainee 2006-2009
Helen Kamens
Postdoctoral trainee 2009-2013
Riley McCarthy
Masters student 2012-2014
Whitney Melroy
Doctoral student 2010-2015
Jakob Morawiec
Masters student 2018-2020
Matthew Powers
Postdoctoral trainee 2014-2020
Kristin Rasmus
Doctoral student 2013-2016
Isabel Schlaepfer
Doctoral student 2005-2008
Sarah Holly Stephens
Postdoctoral trainee 2008-2011
Aimee Thomas
Masters student 2018-2020
Publications
Genetic diversity fuels gene discovery for tobacco and alcohol use
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A; Krauter, Kenneth S; Hewitt, John K; Keller, Matthew C; Stitzel, Jerry A; Boardman, Jason D
All Authors:
Saunders GRB; Wang X; Chen F; Jang S-K; Liu M; Wang C; Gao S; Jiang Y; Khunsriraksakul C; Otto JM
Published in: NaturePublication Date: 2022-12-22
Type: Journal Article
Hippocampal RNA sequencing in mice selectively bred for high and low activity
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A; Evans, Luke M.
All Authors:
Booher WCC; Vanderlinden LAA; Hall LAA; Thomas ALL; Evans LMM; Saba LMM; Ehringer MAA
Published in: Genes, Brain and BehaviorPublication Date: 2022-12-13
Type: Journal Article
Testing Association of Previously Implicated Gene Sets and Gene-Networks in Nicotine Exposed Mouse Models with Human Smoking Phenotypes
All Authors:
Mize TJ; Funkhouser SA; Buck JM; Stitzel JA; Ehringer MA; Evans LM
Published in: Nicotine and Tobacco ResearchPublication Date: 2022-11-29
Type: Conference Proceeding
A MOUSE MODEL OF HUMAN GCKR SNP RS1260326 (P446L) SHOWS DIFFERENCES IN ALCOHOL BEHAVIORS
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Ehringer MA; Bunch LJ; Hall LA; Mehrhoff EA; Booher WC; Romero-Villela PN; Powers MS
Published in: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental ResearchPublication Date: 2022-06-25
Type: Conference Proceeding
Circulating interleukin-37 declines with aging in healthy humans: relations to healthspan indicators and IL37 gene SNPs
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Brunt VE; Ikoba AP; Ziemba BP; Ballak DB; Hoischen A; Dinarello CA; Ehringer MA; Seals DR
Published in: GerosciencePublication Date: 2022-05-27
Type: Journal Article
Diazepam effects on anxiety-related defensive behavior of High and Low open-field activity inbred mouse strains
All Authors:
Mehrhoff EA; Booher WC; Hutchinson J; Schumacher G; Lowry C; Borski C; Hoeffer C; Ehringer M
Publication Date: 2022-05-24Type: Conference Proceeding
Does Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy Moderate the Effect of Genes on Offspring's Smoking Behavior?
All Authors:
Villela PNR; Balbona JC; Border R; Keller MC; Evans LM; Ehringer MA
Published in: Behavior Genetics: an international journal devoted to research in the inheritance of behavior in animals and manPublication Date: 2021-11-01
Type: Conference Proceeding
Novel characterization of the multivariate genetic architecture of internalizing psychopathology and alcohol use
All Authors:
Colbert SMC; Funkhouser SA; Johnson EC; Morrison CL; Hoeffer CA; Friedman NP; Ehringer MA; Evans LM
Published in: American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric GeneticsPublication Date: 2021-09-27
Type: Journal Article
Little Evidence of Modified Genetic Effect of rs16969968 on Heavy Smoking Based on Age of Onset of Smoking
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A; Evans, Luke M.
All Authors:
Adjangba C; Border R; Villela PNR; Ehringer MA; Evans LM
Published in: Nicotine and Tobacco ResearchPublication Date: 2021-06-01
Type: Journal Article
INITIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF GCKR HUMAN SNP RS1260326 (P446L) IN A MOUSE MODEL OF ALCOHOL BEHAVIORS
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Bunch LJ; Powers MS; Hall LA; Mehrho EA; Booher WC; Romero-Villela PN; Ehringer MA
Published in: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental ResearchPublication Date: 2021-06-01
Type: Conference Proceeding
Anxiety-related defensive behavioral responses in mice selectively bred for High and Low Activity
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A; Lowry, Christopher A.
All Authors:
Booher WC; Hall LA; Thomas AL; Merhroff EA; Reyes Martinez GJ; Scanlon KE; Lowry CA; Ehringer MA
Published in: Genes, Brain and BehaviorPublication Date: 2021-05-09
Type: Journal Article
Model-based assessment of replicability for genome-wide association meta-analysis
All Authors:
McGuire D; Jiang Y; Liu M; Weissenkampen JD; Eckert S; Yang L; Chen F; Liu M; Jiang Y; Wedow R
Published in: Nature CommunicationsPublication Date: 2021-03-30
Type: Journal Article
Genetic architecture of four smoking behaviors using partitioned SNP heritability
All Authors:
Evans LM; Jang S; Hancock DB; Ehringer MA; Otto JM; Vrieze SI; Keller MC
Published in: AddictionPublication Date: 2021-03-05
Type: Journal Article
Isoform-specific roles for AKT in affective behavior, spatial memory, and extinction related to psychiatric disorders
CU Boulder Authors:
Hoeffer, Charles Albert; Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Published in: eLifeWong H; Levenga J; LaPlante L; Keller B; Cooper-Sansone A; Borski C; Milstead R; Ehringer M; Hoeffer C...
- Wong H
- Levenga J
- LaPlante L
- Keller B
- Cooper-Sansone A
- Borski C
- Milstead R
- Ehringer M
- Hoeffer C
Publication Date: 2020-12-16
Type: Journal Article
Differential shared genetic influences of anxiety with problematic alcohol use compared to alcohol consumption
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A; Evans, Luke M.
All Authors:
Colbert SMC; Funkhouser S; Johnson EC; Ehringer M; Evans L
Published in: Behavior Genetics: an international journal devoted to research in the inheritance of behavior in animals and manPublication Date: 2020-11-01
Type: Journal Article
Whole-Genome Sequencing of Inbred Mouse Strains Selected for High and Low Open-Field Activity
All Authors:
Thomas AL; Evans LM; Nelsen MD; Chesler EJ; Powers MS; Booher WC; Lowry CA; DeFries JC; Ehringer MA
Published in: Behavior Genetics: an international journal devoted to research in the inheritance of behavior in animals and manPublication Date: 2020-09-16
Type: Journal Article
The Role of A Priori-Identified Addiction and Smoking Gene Sets in Smoking Behaviors
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A; Keller, Matthew C; Stitzel, Jerry A; Hewitt, John K; Evans, Luke M.; Hoeffer, Charles Albert
All Authors:
Published in: Nicotine and Tobacco ResearchEvans LM; Johnson EC; Melroy-Greif WE; Hewitt JK; Hoeffer CA; Keller MC; Saba LM; Stitzel JA; Ehringer MA...
- Evans LM
- Johnson EC
- Melroy-Greif WE
- Hewitt JK
- Hoeffer CA
- Keller MC
- Saba LM
- Stitzel JA
- Ehringer MA
Publication Date: 2020-08-01
Type: Journal Article
No significant interaction between rs16969968 and genome-wide loci to predict cigarettes per day in the UK Biobank
All Authors:
Villela PNR; Border R; Keller MC; Evans LM; Ehringer MA
Published in: Behavior Genetics: an international journal devoted to research in the inheritance of behavior in animals and manPublication Date: 2020-06-26
Type: Conference Proceeding
Alcohol related behaviors in mice selectively bred for high and low activity
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Booher WC; Thomas AL; Hall LA; Reyes GJ; Ehringer MA
Published in: Behavior Genetics: an international journal devoted to research in the inheritance of behavior in animals and manPublication Date: 2020-06-26
Type: Conference Proceeding
Behavioral and neuronal interactions between exercise and alcohol: Sex and genetic differences
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Booher WC; Martinez GJR; Ehringer MA
Published in: Genes, Brain and BehaviorPublication Date: 2020-01-17
Type: Journal Article
Identifying epigenetic targets underlying the effects of prenatal exposure to opioids
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Ehringer MA
Published in: Genes, Brain and BehaviorPublication Date: 2019-07-01
Type: Journal Article
ALCOHOL-RELATED BEHAVIORS IN STRAINS OF MICE SELECTED FOR HIGH AND LOW OPEN-FIELD ACTIVITY
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Elliotte E; Booher WC; Ehringer MA
Published in: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental ResearchPublication Date: 2019-06-22
Type: Conference Proceeding
The effect of voluntary wheel running on 129/SvEvTac and C3H/Ibg alcohol consumption
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Booher WC; Hoft NR; Ehringer MA
Published in: AlcoholPublication Date: 2019-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Common and Rare Variants Genetic Association Analysis of Cigarettes per Day Among Ever-Smokers in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Cases and Controls
CU Boulder Authors:
Ehringer, Marissa A
All Authors:
Published in: Nicotine and Tobacco ResearchLutz SM; Frederiksen B; Begum F; McDonald M-LN; Cho MH; Hobbs BD; Parker MM; DeMeo DL; Hersh CP; Ehringer MA...
- Lutz SM
- Frederiksen B
- Begum F
- McDonald M-LN
- Cho MH
- Hobbs BD
- Parker MM
- DeMeo DL
- Hersh CP
- Ehringer MA
Publication Date: 2019-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Association studies of up to 1.2 million individuals yield new insights into the genetic etiology of tobacco and alcohol use
CU Boulder Authors:
Stitzel, Jerry A; Hewitt, John K; Boardman, Jason D; Keller, Matthew C; Ehringer, Marissa A; Stallings, Michael C; Krauter, Kenneth S; McQueen, Matt
All Authors:
Liu M; Jiang Y; Wedow R; Li Y; Brazel DM; Chen F; Datta G; Davila-Velderrain J; McGuire D; Tian C
Published in: Nature GeneticsPublication Date: 2019-02-01
Type: Journal Article
Pages
Recruiting
The Ehringer lab is recruiting new graduate students.
Contact Marissa Ehringer directly about postdoctoral trainee positions.