Topic: FOXG1

FOXG1 is a transcription factor essential for brain development. Mutations in FOXG1 perturb forebrain development and are commonly associated with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and epilepsy. These conditions often also co-occur and preliminary studies have suggested a convergent aetiology. Thus studying the biological functions of FOXG1 and providing mechanistic insight into its functions can better reveal the molecular and cellular aetiology of these conditions. This will help us accelerate biomarker discovery and therapeutic strategies for epilepsy in individuals with or witho

Charting the regulatory interactions between transcription factors (TFs), enhancers, and genes during the formation of neuronal lineages in human can help decipher the complex genetic etiologies of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To achieve this, we conducted an integrative analysis of epigenomic and transcriptomic profiles of human forebrain organoids derived from individuals with idiopathic ASD and their neurotypical fathers. This multi-omics profiling allowed us to build an enhancer-driven gene regulatory network of early neural development and relate it

Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) was first identified as a neurohormone secreted by the hypothalamus in response to stressful stimuli. However, large amounts of CRH are also secreted by the placenta of anthropoid primates during pregnancy. Although the role of hypothalamic CRH has been extensively studied, there is a remarkable lack of evidence regarding the role of placental CRH, while the biological significance of its unique expression pattern in anthropoid primates remains elusive. In order to investigate the effects of placental CRH on human brain development and to overcome the limi