Molecular basis of the cortical subtype-specific activation dynamics

On the one hand, newer technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing have identified dozens of distinct transcriptomic types in the mammalian neocortex. On the other, single-neuron characterization and targeted imaging, including from our own lab, have uncovered unique morpho-electric types and functionally divergent subtypes even within the major neuronal populations. Using targeted gene perturbation, single-cell transcriptomics, and voltage imaging during behavior, we will:

• identify the cell-intrinsic players that contribute to the functional diversity of cortical subtypes,

• address whether the differential gene expression patterns account for their specialized roles in the brain, and

• uncover the pathological molecular cascades that contribute to aberrant subtype-specific function in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric illnesses.