Dr. Oliver Hobert

Biography

Oliver Hobert is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University, where he leads research focused on the genetic programs that control neural development, primarily using the model organism C. elegans. His laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms responsible for generating the diversity of cell types in the nervous system. Hobert's work has revealed fundamental regulatory logic underlying terminal neuronal identity across different neuron types and demonstrated that many of these regulatory mechanisms are conserved across chordates. His research also explores neuronal diversification, leading to the development of a novel paradigm for studying asymmetry along the left/right axis of the nervous system, where he has identified a complex gene regulatory network that differentially controls terminal neuron identity across this axis. In addition to his main focus on neuronal development, he has studied the molecular machinery of the nervous system in response to environmental stimuli, which modulates behavior and maintains functional structural integrity. Hobert employs advanced technologies to gather in-depth insights into the genetic programs that control the development of the C. elegans nervous system, ultimately extending these insights to vertebrates.

Research Interests