Lepore, Natasha
Associate Professor of Research Radiology
My lab, the Computational Imaging of Brain Organization Research Group (CIBORG), focuses on developing advanced numerical methods to study brain anatomy and function using magnetic resonance imaging. Our work aims to deepen understanding of typical and atypical brain development, across both high- and low-resource settings. In parallel, we are creating software tools to support clinicians by providing quantitative assessments of medical images to enhance clinical decision-making.
Nagiel, Aaron
Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
The development and maintenance of specific synaptic connections between retinal neurons is critical to its function. Within the last 10 years it has become possible to grow 3-dimensional, multi-layered retinal organoids derived from human stem cells. This advance permits the study of human retinal development and the establishment of synaptic connectivity. Our goal is to elucidate mechanisms underlying synapse formation and specificity in the first synapse of the human visual system. Access to CRISPR-engineered organoids allows us to understand this process in the disease state.
Quadrato, Giorgia
Associate Professor of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
The Quadrato lab focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular basis of human brain development and mental disorders. We seek to produce meaningful work that advances the fundamental knowledge of our field and provides new tools to do it. By combining emerging models of the human brain with single-cell -omics approaches, we aim to identify brain region and cell type-specific disease mechanisms and, above all, new treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. To improve the physiological relevance of human pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids, our lab is leveraging interdisciplinary strategies and technologies aimed at tighter regulatory control of organoid development through bioengineering approaches, along with newer unbiased organoid analysis readouts.
Zhang, Li
Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience
As systems neuroscientists, we aim to decipher brain circuits to understand how perception and behavior arise, how the brain adapts to a dynamic environment, and how circuit dysfunction contributes to neurological and psychiatric disorders. We focus on resolving neural architecture—the wiring of neurons that underlies brain function. Technical innovation is central to our approach. We have developed molecular, genetic, electrophysiological, and imaging tools to study circuits supporting both local computation and behavior. Our research integrates in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology, two-photon calcium imaging, neural modeling, anatomical tracing, and optogenetics to build a comprehensive understanding of cell-type-specific circuit mechanisms.
