Pheno-connectomics of human neurodevelopmental diseases
| Title | Pheno-connectomics of human neurodevelopmental diseases |
|---|---|
| Acronym | PhenoConnectomics |
| Start date | 2020-09-01 |
| End date | 2022-08-31 |
| Sponsor | Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) |
| Institution | Institute of Molecular Biotechnology |
Associated cell lines
Project Description
There is much we don't know about how neurons connect in our brains, but we know that their connectivity is essential for brain function in health and disease. Many psychiatric diseases coincide with the miswiring of the brain: to understand these, we need to know how neurons connect in each condition. I will develop a new approach to map single-cell synaptic connectivity, and use it to study joint connectome & transcriptome changes in an established monogenic autism spectrum disorder (ASD) organoid model. Change in synaptic connectivity is a key feature of ASDs, such as Rett-syndrome, which is caused by a mutation of the epigenetic regulator, MECP2. To understand how Rett-syndrome manifests on both transcriptional and connectivity levels, I will compare healthy & MECP2-KO human cortical organoids.