Dr. Helen Bateup

Biography

Helen Bateup is a neuroscientist focused on probing intracellular signaling and synaptic plasticity to shape neural circuit development and behavior. Her research particularly targets syndromic neurodevelopmental disorders, including associated epilepsy, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder. The lab utilizes genetic mouse and human cellular models, employing a variety of techniques to uncover molecular, electrophysiological, and behavioral alterations. Bateup's findings provide mechanistic insights into how disease-associated mutations influence neuronal and glial biology, and how altered neuronal activity affects circuit function and behavior. Additionally, her work defines early developmental changes that contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders through human brain organoid models. As an Associate Professor at UC Berkeley's Departments of Neuroscience and Molecular & Cell Biology, she is a member of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute. Bateup has published in reputable journals such as Nature Medicine, Neuron, Nature Communications, and eLife. She has received several accolades including the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship in Neuroscience, the NARSAD Young Investigator Award, and the Rose Hills Innovator Award. She has also been awarded Investigatorships at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub and Weill Neurohub, and teaches courses on neurodevelopment and neurobiology of disease, mentoring trainees in cellular and molecular neuroscience.

Research Interests

Courses