About event
My research focuses on morphogen-receptor biology during tissue diversification and maturation of basal ganglia, limbic, and motor circuits, and their relation to disease. I integrate biochemical approaches, advanced imaging techniques, and multi-OMICs using zebrafish, mouse, and human transgenic models. Collectively, my work has uncovered new mechanisms by which VPS10p-D receptors and Wnt signaling coordinate neurodevelopment, intra- and intercellular communication, and synaptic function, insights that may contribute to future therapeutic strategies for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Emerging evidence links early developmental dysregulation to increased risk of psychiatric conditions and early-onset neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. Yet, the molecular pathways driving this convergence remain poorly understood. My overarching goal at CEITEC is to define how neuronal and glial populations establish their identity, connectivity, and structural integrity, and how disruptions in these processes confer long-term susceptibility to stress later in life.