News & Events

New research cluster to decode developmental disorders

01/01/24

A research consortium led by Professor Oscar Marín and Professor Deepak Srivastava has been awarded significant funding to lead the Functional Genomics of Human Brain Development Cluster, a pioneering research initiative aimed at unlocking the genetic bases of neurodevelopmental disorders. Supported by the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, this four-year programme will bring together experts from King’s College London, as well as other leading institutions worldwide.

The Cluster’s overarching goal is to decipher how variations in genes impact brain development, and ultimately contribute to autism, epilepsy, and intellectual disabilities, for example. The research team will employ cutting-edge brain organoid technology—tiny 3-D “avatars” of the human brain developed from stem cells. By recapitulating the cellular diversity and complexity of the human cerebral cortex, these organoids will allow scientists to observe and understand genetic influences on brain function in previously unprecedented detail.

The Cluster will employ advanced genomic tools, imaging, and artificial intelligence, to systematically investigate the role of specific gene mutations, building a collaborative, standardised platform for brain organoid research. This new platform will accelerate breakthroughs in the way we understand neurodevelopmental disorders and lay the foundations for targeted therapeutic strategies.

In addition to its pioneering research, the Cluster will prioritise open science practices, offering training workshops and making data, protocols, and resources accessible to the wider scientific community. 

This initiative marks a vital step forward in neuroscience research, with the potential to fasttrack medical innovation by uncovering the genetic mechanisms that govern human brain development and influence neurodevelopmental health.

Further information about the initiative is available via the UKRI website.