Hanne Hoffmann, PhD

Assistant Professor | Michigan State University
March of Dimes
Hanne Hoffman

Hanne M. Hoffmann, PhD, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University 
Website: https://www.canr.msu.edu/hoffmann/ 

Biography

Dr. Hanne Hoffmann has a lifelong interest in how seasonal changes in the environment controls biology. Thanks to her combined training in neuroscience, 24 hour circadian rhythms, and reproduction, she is today uncovering the basic mechanisms finetuning reproductive function to the day-night period and how disruption of this alignment impacts reproductive outcomes and mental health. Dr. Hoffmann’s research program is funded through the NIH and March of Dimes and focuses primarily on deciphering the molecular pathways that regulate cellular circadian timekeeping within the reproductive axis. Combining novel transgenic mouse models, recordings from live cells and tissues, with the use of human samples and datasets, her goal is to identify novel drug targets for the treatment of arrhythmia, infertility, preterm labor, and other pregnancy complications. In addition, Dr. Hoffmann applies her basic research studies towards identification of biomarkers of pregnancy complications to improve reproductive health and pregnancy outcome.

Dr. Hoffmann is a dedicated advocate for reproductive and child health, and she's actively involved in outreach events and working with legislators on these topics. These efforts include Dr. Hoffmann’s work advocating for healthy school start time. A too early high school start time negatively impacts student wellbeing, mental health, academic success, accidents, as well as lifetime earnings. Aligning school start time with the body’s natural changes in circadian time keeping during puberty allows to increase student wellbeing and success.

Education

BS Animal Physiology, Montpellier University 2, France (2005)

MS Biology and Health, Montpellier University 2, France (2007)

PhDs Neuroscience, Montpellier University 2, France, Cum Laude (2010)

PhD Biochemistry, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, European Mention (2010)

Honors and recognition

Biology of Reproduction Most Popular Research Article Award (2021)

March of Dimes Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Award (2019)

New Investigator Award from the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (2017)

Early Investigators Award supported by Merck & Co., Inc. from the Endocrine Society (2016)

Neena Schwartz Young Investigator Award in Basic Science from Women in Endocrinology (2016)

Selected publications

  1. Zhou G, Tikhonova RN, Holzman C, Chen B, Chang C, Kasten EP, Hoffmann HM. Placental circadian lincRNAs and spontaneous preterm birth. Front Genet. 2023 Jan 11. PMID: 36712876
  2. Zhou G, Winn E, Kasten EP, Petroff MG, Hoffmann HM. Co-Alterations of Circadian Clock Gene Transcripts in Human Placenta in Preeclampsia. Sci Rep. 2022 Oct 25;12(1):17856. PMID: 36284122
  3. Roy S, Abudu A, Salinas I, Sinha N, Cline-Fedewa H, Yaw HM, Qi W, Lydic TA, Takahashi DL, Hennebold JD, Hoffmann HM, Wang J, and Sen A. Androgen-mediated perturbation of the hepatic circadian system through epigenetic modulation promotes NAFLD in PCOS mice. Endocrinology. 2022 Oct 1;163(10):bqac127. PMID: 35933634
  4. Meadows JD, Breuer JA, Lavalle SN, Hirschenberger MR, Meera M. Patel, Nguyen D, Kim A, Jessica Cassin, Gorman MR, Welsh DK, Mellon PL, Hoffmann HM. Deletion of Six3 in post-proliferative neurons produces weakened SCN circadian output, improved metabolic function, and dwarfism in male mice. Mol Metab. 2021 Dec 31;57:101431. PMID: 34974160
  5. Zhou G, Duong TV, Kasten EP, Hoffmann HM. Low CLOCK and CRY2 in 2nd Trimester Human Maternal Blood and Risk of Preterm Birth: a Nested Case-Control Study. Biol Reprod. 2021 Jun 18. PMID: 34142702. PMCID: PMC8511660
  6. Hoffmann HM, Meadows JD, Breuer JA, Devries BM, Yaw AM, Oosterhouse HJ, Chen A, Trang C, Sora JL, Doser JW, Gorman MR, Welsh DK, Mellon PL. The transcription factors SIX3 and VAX1 are required for suprachiasmatic nucleus circadian output and fertility in female mice. J Neurosci Res. 2021 July 2. PMID: 4212416
  7. Yaw AM, Duong T, Nguyen D, and Hoffmann HM. Circadian rhythms in the mouse reproductive axis during the estrous cycle and pregnancy. J Neurosci Res. 2020 Mar 3. PMID: 32128870
  8. Pandolfi EC, Breuer JA, Huu Van, Talluri T, Nguyen, D, Lee JS, Hu R, Bharti K, Skowronska-Krawczyk D, Gorman MR, Mellon PL, Hoffmann HM. The Homeodomain Transcription Factors Vax1 and Six6 are Required for SCN Development and Function. Molecular Neurobiology. 2019 Nov 9. PMID: 31705443
  9. Hoffmann HM, Trang C, Gong P, Kimura I, Pandolfi EC, and Mellon PL. Deletion of Vax1 from Gonadotropin-Releasing Hor¬mone (GnRH) Neurons Abolishes GnRH Expression and Leads to Hypogonadism and Infertility. J Neurosci. 2016 Mar 23;36(12):3506-18. PMID: 27013679
  10. Hoffmann HM, Tamrazian A, Xie H, Pérez-Millán MI, Kauffman AS, Mellon PL. Heterozygous Deletion of Ventral Anterior Homeobox (Vax1) Causes Subfertility in Mice. Endocrinology 2014 Oct;155(10):4043-53. PMID:25060364

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