Summary of the science
The formation of the nervous system during embryonic development. and the process of making new brain cells is referred to as neurogenesis. Cells become specialised in a process called differentiation, where cells turn in to a specific type of cell and take on a particular function. The formation of the spinal cord provides insights into the important steps underlying brain development. By studying what is happening in these cells in the spinal cord, the Storey lab hope to understand more about the processes that are involved so they can be used in therapy for brain injuries and disease.
About the research
The Storey lab focuses on understanding the formation of the nervous system during embryonic development. They investigate cellular differentiation, specifically the emergence of neurons and the mechanisms controlling their differentiation. The lab uses the spinal cord as a model system to study the sequential steps of its formation, including neural precursor cell division, cell shape changes, and the establishment of functional neural circuits. Techniques such as gene function manipulation, genome-wide analyses, and live imaging are employed to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neural differentiation and its implications for therapeutic interventions in neural injury and disease.
About the illustration