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Mechanisms Regulating Fate and Maturation of Forebrain Inhibitory Interneurons

Air date: Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 11:00:00 AM
Time displayed is Eastern Time, Washington DC Local
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Description: Proper brain function requires a balance between excitatory projection neurons and inhibitory interneurons, an incredibly diverse cell population with distinct transcriptomes, morphologies, connectivity and electrophysiological properties. Abnormal development and function of interneurons has been linked to the pathobiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, autism and epilepsy. Notably, many genes implicated in these brain disorders are strongly enriched in neural progenitors, and in some instances specifically in developing interneurons. Thus, understanding mechanisms that regulate fate, maturation and function of interneurons is critical to understand both normal development and disease etiologies. The primary objective of my lab is to utilize innovative, cutting-edge and multifaceted approaches to characterize the gene regulatory mechanisms and transcriptional cascades that drive initial interneuron fate decisions during embryogenesis, and how these processes go awry in neurodevelopmental disorders. I will discuss our recent development of an ‘Epigenome Atlas’ of the embryonic mouse brain and follow-up studies exploring how specific chromatin interactions and epigenetic processes regulate interneuron fate.
Author: Timothy J. Petros Tenure-Track Investigator (NICHD)
Runtime: 1 hour