Julian Christians
(He/ him/ his)
PhD
Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Molecular Human Reproduction
Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaaf047Molecular Human Reproduction
Hercus, J.C. and Rubio, D.A.S. and Nieto, M.E.O. and Keum, C. and Wang, Q. and Macdonald, J.A. and Scott, J.S. and Lucas, E.R.J. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaaf015Placenta
Osorio Nieto, M.E. and Hercus, J.C. and Williams, K.R. and Salcedo Rubio, D.A. and Spreeuw, C.D.M. and Keum, C. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2025.05.007Molecular Human Reproduction
Bekaert, B. and Boiani, M. and Christians, J. and Cree, L. and Harvey, A. and Klinger, F.G. and Lodde, V. and Roelen, B. and Stukenborg, J.-B. and Wistuba, J.
DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaae009Placenta
Hercus, J.C. and Salcedo Rubio, D.A. and Osorio Nieto, M.E. and Sturn, M.M.L. and Keum, C. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.09.014Plos One
Hercus, J.C. and Metcalfe, K.X. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296853Biology of Sex Differences
Christians, J.K. and Ahmadzadeh-Seddeighi, S. and Bilal, A. and Bogdanovic, A. and Ho, R. and Leung, E.V. and MacGregor, M.A. and Nadasdy, N.M. and Principe, G.M.
DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00532-9Frontiers in Endocrinology
Christians, J.K. and Reue, K.
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1304050Reproductive Sciences
Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00780-3Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
Christians, J.K. and Chow, N.A.
DOI: 10.1017/S2040174422000204Biology of Sex Differences
Julian K. Christians and Haroop K. Shergill and Arianne Y. K. Albert
DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00365-412 / 2021
PLOS ONE
Monika D. Rogowska and Uriel N. V. Pena and Nimrat Binning and Julian K. Christians
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.025690609 / 2021
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Leticia Olga Rubio Lamia and Antonio Vargas and Patricia Rivera and Antonio Jess Lpez Gambero and Rubn Tovar and Julian Christians and Stella Martin-de-las-Heras and FERNANDO RODRIGUEZ DE FONSECA and Julie A. Chowen and J. Argente and Juan Surez
DOI: 10.3390/ijms2208404804 / 2021
Biology
Natasha Virginkar and Julian Christians
DOI: 10.3390/biology909029309 / 2020
Biology of Reproduction
Baltayeva, J. and Konwar, C. and Castellana, B. and Mara, D.L. and Christians, J.K. and Beristain, A.G.
DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz163PLoS ONE
Christians, J.K. and Huicochea Munoz, M.F.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228664Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Christians, J.K. and Lennie, K.I. and Wild, L.K. and Garcha, R.
DOI: 10.1186/s12958-019-0482-yGrowth Hormone and IGF Research
Christians, J.K. and Amiri, N. and Schipilow, J.D. and Zhang, S.W. and May-Rashke, K.I.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ghir.2018.10.006Placenta
Christians, J.K. and Grynspan, D.
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2019.01.012Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Christians, J.K. and Lennie, K.I. and Huicochea Munoz, M.F. and Binning, N.
DOI: 10.1186/s12958-018-0376-4Placenta
Christians, J.K. and Grynspan, D. and Greenwood, S.L. and Dilworth, M.R.
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2018.06.311PLoS ONE
Chin, E.H. and Schmidt, K.L. and Martel, K.M. and Wong, C.K. and Hamden, J.E. and Gibson, W.T. and Soma, K.K. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174030Biology Letters
Christians, J.K. and Leavey, K. and Cox, B.J.
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0643BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Hodgson, Z.G. and Saxell, L. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-017-1485-3Cell Adhesion and Migration
Christians, J.K. and Beristain, A.G.
DOI: 10.1080/19336918.2015.1083668Functional Ecology
Fronstin, R.B. and Christians, J.K. and Williams, T.D.
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12511BMC Ecology
Fronstin, R.B. and Doucet, S.M. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1186/s12898-016-0084-xGrowth Hormone and IGF Research
Amiri, N. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ghir.2015.09.003Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Christians, J.K. and King, A.Y. and Rogowska, M.D. and Hessels, S.M.
DOI: 10.1186/s12958-015-0108-yJournal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
Chin, E.H. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1017/S2040174415001348Growth Hormone and IGF Research
Christians, J.K. and Bath, A.K. and Amiri, N.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ghir.2015.07.001Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Crosley, E.J. and Dunk, C.E. and Beristain, A.G. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1186/1477-7827-12-123Reproductive Sciences
Crosley, E.J. and Durland, U. and Seethram, K. and Macrae, S. and Gruslin, A. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1177/1933719113512532Placenta
Crosley, E.J. and Elliot, M.G. and Christians, J.K. and Crespi, B.J.
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2012.12.001PLoS ONE
Christians, J.K. and de Zwaan, D.R. and Fung, S.H.Y.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056260BMC Genetics
Gorman, K.F. and Christians, J.K. and Parent, J. and Ahmadi, R. and Weigel, D. and Dreyer, C. and Breden, F.
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2156-12-16Medical Mycology
Cheema, M.S. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2010.512301Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Wagner, P.K. and Otomo, A. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1186/1477-7827-9-48PLoS ONE
Christians, J.K. and Cheema, M.S. and Vergara, I.A. and Watt, C.A. and Pinto, L.J. and Chen, N. and Moore, M.M.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019325Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Wagner, P.K. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1186/1477-7827-8-90Prenatal Diagnosis
Christians, J.K. and Gruslin, A.
DOI: 10.1002/pd.2583Molecular Ecology Resources
Christians, J.K. and Watt, C.A.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02395.xJournal of Endocrinology
Wang, J. and Qiu, Q. and Haider, M. and Bell, M. and Gruslin, A. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1677/JOE-09-0136Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
Hodgson, Z.G. and Meddle, S.L. and Christians, J.K. and Sperry, T.S. and Healy, S.D.
DOI: 10.1007/s00359-008-0369-4Mammalian Genome
Christians, J.K. and Senger, L.K.
DOI: 10.1007/s00335-007-9018-4Behavioral Ecology
Hansson, B. and Jack, L. and Christians, J.K. and Pemberton, J.M. and ?kesson, M. and Westerdahl, H. and Bensch, S. and Hasselquist, D.
DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arl062Genetics
Christians, J.K. and Hoeflich, A. and Keightley, P.D.
DOI: 10.1534/genetics.106.057513PLoS biology.
Oliver, F. and Christians, J.K. and Liu, X. and Rhind, S. and Verma, V. and Davison, C. and Brown, S.D. and Denny, P. and Keightley, P.D.
Current Biology
Christians, J.K. and Keightley, P.D.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2004.12.013PLoS Biology
Oliver, F. and Christians, J.K. and Liu, X. and Rhind, S. and Verma, V. and Davison, C. and Brown, S.D.M. and Denny, P. and Keightley, P.D.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0030135Mammalian Genome
Stylianou, I.M. and Christians, J.K. and Keightley, P.D. and Bnger, L. and Clinton, M. and Bulfield, G. and Horvat, S.
DOI: 10.1007/s00335-004-3039-zFunctional Ecology
Williams, T.D. and Challenger, W.O. and Christians, J.K. and Evanson, M. and Love, O. and Vezina, F.
DOI: 10.1111/j.0269-8463.2004.00829.xGenetics Selection Evolution
Christians, J.K. and Rance, K.A. and Knott, S.A. and Pignatelli, P.M. and Oliver, F. and Bnger, L.
DOI: 10.1051/gse:2004018Mammalian Genome
Christians, J.K. and Keightley, P.D.
DOI: 10.1007/s00335-004-3046-0Journal of Avian Biology
Williams, T.D. and Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1111/j.0908-8857.2003.03080.xMammalian Genome
Christians, J.K. and Bingham, V. and Oliver, F. and Heath, T.T. and Keightley, P.D.
DOI: 10.1007/s00335-002-3041-2General and Comparative Endocrinology
Christians, J.K. and Williams, T.D.
DOI: 10.1006/gcen.2001.7737Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
Christians, J.K.
Current Biology
Christians, J.K. and Keightley, P.D.
DOI: 10.1016/S0960-9822(02)00911-9Journal of Avian Biology
Christians, J.K. and Williams, T.D.
Journal of Comparative Physiology - B Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology
Christians, J.K. and Williams, T.D.
DOI: 10.1007/s003600100174Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
Challenger, W.O. and Williams, T.D. and Christians, J.K. and Vzina, F.
DOI: 10.1086/320427Journal of Animal Ecology
Christians, J.K. and Evanson, M. and Aiken, J.J.
DOI: 10.1046/j.0021-8790.2001.00566.xJournal of Avian Biology
Christians, J.K.
Functional Ecology
Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2000.00444.xPhysiological and Biochemical Zoology
Christians, J.K. and Williams, T.D.
DOI: 10.1086/316683Physiological and Biochemical Zoology
Christians, J.K.
DOI: 10.1086/316661Journal of Experimental Biology
Christians, J.K. and Williams, T.D.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Williams, T.D. and Christians, J.K. and Aiken, J.J. and Evanson, M.
Sex differences begin before birth and have long-term effects that have been overlooked. In placental mammals, understanding prenatal sex differences requires study of the placenta given its central role in fetal growth. The placenta has the genetic makeup of the fetus and thus may show sex-dependent responses. Sex differences in fetal and placental growth strategies are expected to be most acute under unfavourable conditions. The overarching goal of this project is to understand mechanisms underlying sex differences in fetal and placental function and in the responses to prenatal adversity.
I am using mouse models to determine the roles of chromosomal complement and gonadal sex in traits that are crucial to neonatal survival and that differ by sex: lung development, total body fat, brown adipose tissue and thermogenic capacity. I am also examining to what extent sex differences in fetal growth are driven by resource allocation by the mother vs fetus, using single-cell RNA sequencing which can distinguish between changes in placental (i.e., fetal genotype) vs. uterine (i.e., maternal) cells. This work is examining both healthy pregnancies and the response to insufficient nutrition. The ultimate goal of this work is to achieve a greater mechanistic understanding of sex differences in prenatal strategies that could inform new interventions to improve newborn survival.
Sex and gender must be taken into account in health research and the provision of care. While sex refers to biological differences and gender refers to sociocultural effects, these terms are often used interchangeably, and most studies only consider their combined effects in a binary framework comparing two sexes/genders.
We are developing a tool to assess variation in multiple types of gendered exposures (e.g., time spent providing care), distinct from sex. We hypothesize that there are epigenetic markers, e.g., differences in DNA methylation, that are associated with gendered exposures, and others that are associated with sex. This research considers the potential imprint of gender on biology, and views gender as non-binary and made up of multiple domains. The ability to distinguish between biological sex and sociocultural gender would revolutionize health research and clinical practice by allowing us to move beyond a binary view of gender completely confounded by sex. This in turn would improve understanding of the social determinants of health, identify factors likely to generalize between populations, and improve care for everyone.
People are having babies at older ages. Effects of age on the ovary are well known, but age also impairs the ability of the uterine lining, the endometrium, to transform into a receptive tissue needed for fetal development. Problems with this transformation lead to increased risks of pregnancy complications at older ages. Similar effects are seen in aging mice, and we are examining changes in the uterus of mice as they age. The uterus is made up of many types of cells, including different types of endometrial cells, immune cells and muscle cells. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we can measure which genes are turned on in thousands of cells at a time and examine how individual cells change with age, as well as whether the proportions of cell types change. Examining how the entire uterus changes will reveal how the endometrium is influenced by other cell types. This work may identify potential interventions that can mitigate increased risks of adverse outcomes at older ages.
Principal Investigator. Epigenetic markers to distinguish gendered exposures from biological sex. Funding Source: New Frontiers in Research Fund – Exploration
Principal Investigator. Sex dependent fetal and placental responses to adversity. Funding Source: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council – Discovery Grant
Principal Investigator. Building partnerships to bridge the gap between cell and society and advance the integration of gender and sex into health research. Funding Source: Canadian Institutes of Health Research – Planning and Dissemination Grant
Principal Investigator. Does exercise mitigate the effects of advanced maternal age on pregnancy outcomes in a mouse model? Funding Source: Women's Health Research Institute – Catalyst Grant
One of 10 outstanding reviewers in Project Grant competitions between fall 2022 and spring 2025, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
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