Seminars and Events

Past Events

Category Seminar
Date and Time 2008-04-15 16:00 - 17:00
Venue Auditorium C1F
Speaker Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Affiliation Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (IRIBHM), University of Brussels
Title From Stem Cells to Neuronal Networks, from Mouse to Man: Genetic Mechanisms of Development and Evolution of the Cerebral Cortex
Poster click here to download(PDF)
Host Fumio Matsuzaki
Summary The cerebral cortex is the most complex structure in our brain, with
dozens of different neuronal subtypes characterized by specific patterns
of gene expression, morphology, and connectivity. The genetic mechanisms
of development and evolution of the cerebral cortex have major
implications for our understanding of several neurological and
neuropsychiatric diseases. Here we will present recent work from the lab
on the intrinsic mechanisms of cortical neuron specification, and the
development of a novel system of in vitro corticogenesis from embryonic
stem cells. We will also present ongoing studies on the developmental
mechanisms that may underly the emergence of human-specific features in
the cerebral cortex during evolution, through the identification of
specific gene expression programmes in the human embryonic brain.
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