Research project Gene regulatory mechanisms in neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation

In  the developing mammalian brain, neural stem cells (NSCs) divide to self-renew and differentiate to produce daughter cells including neurons and a few types of supportive cells.  The precise number of neuronal subtypes that differ in position, function and connectivity remains a mystery. How can NSCs generate so many daughter cell types?  

To address this question, we investigate 1) the establishment of cell-type specific gene expression programs in NSC lineages, 2) the functional interplay between cell signaling pathways and NSC-specific transcription factors in the regulation of NSC behaviors, and 3) the consequences of disrupting the balance of NSC proliferation, quiescence and differentiation. We use mouse models and cultured primary neural stem cells to identify genetic roles of novel regulators and genomic approaches to assess gene regulatory mechanisms.  The ultimate goal is to obtain a full understanding of cell specification mechanisms in normal brain development and brain disease condition.