Dr. Seth Blackshaw

Biography

Seth Blackshaw is a Professor in the Solomon H Snyder Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that control cell type generation in the vertebrate retina and hypothalamus, originating from the ventral embryonic forebrain. He employs advanced techniques, including single-cell RNA ATAC-Seq, to uncover gene regulatory networks that dictate neural and glial cell fate specification during neurogenesis. His work has revealed key roles for the NFI family of transcription factors in regulating the production of specific retinal cell types and has identified major cell types in the hypothalamus that influence a wide range of innate behaviors, including sleep. Blackshaw collaborates extensively with others at Johns Hopkins to explore the intricate organization of hypothalamic circuitry and the neurogenic potential of mature glial cells in both zebrafish and mammals. He is also focused on developing innovative techniques and reagents to support his research efforts, including the HuProt human proteome array and computational tools for identifying conserved gene regulatory networks.

Research Interests