gene regulatory mechanisms

Gene regulatory mechanisms of neocortex development and evolution

The neocortex is considered to be the seat of higher cognitive functions in humans. During its evolution, most notably in humans, the neocortex has undergone considerable expansion, which is reflected by an increase in the number of neurons. Neocortical neurons are generated during development by neural stem and progenitor cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play a pivotal role in orchestrating the behaviour of stem cells during development. We are interested in the mechanisms that regulate gene expression in neural stem cells, which have implications for our understanding of neocortex development and evolution, neural stem cell regulation and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Cell type-specific gene regulatory mechanisms associated with addiction-related behaviors in rats

Understanding the fundamental gene regulatory mechanisms underlying addiction and related behaviors could facilitate more effective treatments. We discuss our work using multi-omics methods to provide mechanistic and functional insights into how addiction perturbs gene regulatory programs in the rat brain, with single-cell resolution.

Comparative study of chromatin responses to neuronal stimulation reveals BDNF-specific gene regulatory mechanisms through the pioneering function of transcription factor Fos