We are focused on the development of the mammalian neocortex, which is the control centre of our behavior, thought and intellectual abilities. Our research focuses on cortical development, in particular the developmental switch of progenitors from self-renewing to neurogenic and gliogenic fates, and the fate determination processes of progenitors that generate various types of neurons and glia that make up the complex neural circuits of the brain. Decoding the mechanisms regulating the self-renewal capacity and competency of cortical progenitors is crucial to understanding:
1) how our brains undergo healthy development and what happens to the brain in psychiatric disorders, and
2) how we could develop novel strategies to regenerate damaged nervous system.
