Research summary
During brain development, billons of nerve cells develop branches and connect into circuits. Neural circuits transmit electrical activities that drive our abilities such as sight, movement and speech. Dr. Julie Lefebvre, Canada Research Chair in Developmental Neural Circuitry, will identify molecules that wire developing nerve cells into circuits and test how miswiring affects brain function. She will test if these molecules can be reused to regenerate connections in disease.
Using a unique experimental platform that combines cutting-edge microscopy, molecular techniques and assays to trace neural connections, her research will advance our understanding of neural miswiring as potential causes of disorders such as autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia.