Dr. Maria Lehtinen

Biography

Maria Kristiina Lehtinen is a Professor of Pathology at Harvard University, affiliated with Boston Children's Hospital. Her research focuses on the role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in brain development, particularly the intricate relationship between CSF and neural stem cells. Her work investigates how CSF serves as both a passive medium and an active participant in neurogenesis. Lehtinen's findings highlight the importance of the brain-CSF interface, which plays a crucial role in guiding the proliferation of neural precursor cells through secreted factors that bind to receptors on progenitor cells. Her research employs a range of experimental approaches from molecular neuroscience, developmental neurobiology, biochemistry, and genetics, emphasizing temporal control of CSF signaling, its regulation of the cellular environment, and its impact on neuropathological conditions. Through this work, she aims to elucidate how CSF provides critical adaptive signaling for the developing, adult, and aging brain.

Research Interests