Gioele La Manno: Unveiling the Architecture of the Developing Brain

Unveiling the Architecture of the Developing Brain: Molecular Maps and Methodological Advances

Abstract:
More than a century ago, Ramón y Cajal began exploring the complexity of the brain, armed only with a microscope and a pen. Today, technological advancements give us access to an unparalleled level of detail: we are able to read out the molecular composition of single cells. Utilizing single-cell and spatial techniques, my laboratory has contributed to cataloging the brain's fundamental components. We have produced a comprehensive map that chronicles neural development from the earliest stages to birth. To better understand the process, we developed computational methods revealing changes in space and time. Our new techniques let us extend our explorations to other important molecular players in development. Going forward, we aim to discover interactions between genes and lipids that are important for correct brain formation and could be exploited to alleviate neurodevelopmental conditions.

About the speaker:
Gioele La Manno, is a computational and developmental neurobiologist who leads the EPFL Laboratory of Brain Development and Biological Data Science. His training is in Biotechnology and Biomedicine, he earned his PhD with Sten Linnarsson at the Karolinska Institute. He is known for categorizing the progenitor cells in the brain and for the invention of the RNA Velocity Analysis. He recently made advances in the field of lipidomics and co-discovered lipid-based states. Currently, his lab focuses on the role of gene-lipids interactions in brain formation and teratogenesis. His work earned him the Vasco Sanz, EMPIRIS, SIB, and Chorafas awards and the appointment as the first ELISIR scholar.