Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Zhang Lab. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.
The Zhang lab studies fundamental mechanisms of brain development with the ultimate goal of diagnosing and treating neurological disorders. Current research centers on neurogenesis and the cerebral cortex, focusing on the six-layered neocortex, a feature unique to mammals. The lab has identified diverse neuronal cell types in the brain, investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the production and specification of neuron subtypes that are not yet fully understood. Recent single-cell transcriptome analyses have uncovered temporal gene expression patterns in apical and basal progenitors, though the regulation of neural progenitor cell behavior remains unclear. The lab is also interested in understanding how neural progenitors change in their proliferation and differentiation capacities over time using various molecular, cellular, and genetic approaches. These studies will contribute to the understanding of neurogenesis, neuronal migration, and cell type specification in the neocortex. Furthermore, the lab investigates mRNA isoforms in neural development, exploring how alternative pre-mRNA processing generates significant molecular diversity. By leveraging single-cell genetic analyses, they aim to uncover cell type-specific mRNA isoforms in developing human and mouse brains as well as in human iPSC-derived cerebral organoids. The research carries implications for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders and the pathogenic mechanisms leading to conditions like autism and epilepsy, with a focus on alternative mRNA isoforms and their regulatory roles in disease pathogenesis.
Department of Philosophy