We are interested in understanding the principles that govern the formation and function of the mammalian brain across scales ranging from genes to neural circuits:
- What is the molecular and cellular architecture of neural circuits in the mammalian brain?
- How do single neurons choose specific synaptic partners from many potential targets during brain development?
- How do mutations in risk genes lead to neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g. autism spectrum disorder)?
To tackle those questions, we employ and develop cutting edge technologies with a special focus on the following areas:
- Cellular barcodes for lineage and/or synaptic connectivity tracking in vivo
- Spatial transcriptomics to decode gene expression with 3D resolution in situ
- Bioinformatic methods for exploratory data analysis of large genomic datasets
- Genome engineering in cells and animals for scalable studies of gene function
