Decoding the temporal structure of cortical interneuron lineages in mouse and human

Understanding how a small pool of progenitor cells generates the vast diversity of cell types that populate the nervous system remains a fundamental question in neuroscience. This is highly challenging in the cerebral cortex — a region of our brain which is critical for decision-making, language and cognition — because it contains over 100 different types of neuron segregated into layers and functionally distinct areas. 

We will identify the mechanisms controlling the generation of different types of cortical neuron during embryonic development using the mouse as a model organism. We will also investigate this process in human embryos obtained from legally terminated pregnancies, which will allow us to identify distinctive features in the development of our brain.

Elucidating how different classes of neurons emerge during development is critical for understanding brain function in health and disease.