Shen-Ju Chou｜ Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica

The research of my laboratory concerns how cerebral cortex is patterned into distinct functional domains, each has unique cytoarchitectures, patterns of gene expression, and distinct sets of input and output projections to perform specific functions. Using mouse genetics, we study the molecular mechanisms regulating cortical neuronal specification. We have developed a series of animal models to knock-down or overexpress patterning transcription factors to investigate how the number of neurons produced in different cortical regions are controlled, how cortical neurons acquire their region-specific properties, and how the cortical neurons are integrated into functional neuronal circuits. Further, during the progression of neurodegenerative diseases cortical areas are affected in a stereotypic sequence that inversely recapitulates ontogenetic brain development. This suggests that cortical patterning affects the progression or initiation of neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, by identifying regional patterning mechanism, and characterizing region-specific neuronal properties and functions, we will provide a foundation for understanding brain function and cortical dysfunction in disease states, and potentially offer means to repair specific parts of the diseased brains.