Understanding the origin of human brain evolution and the underlying molecular mechanisms is made challenging by the complexity of the brain itself and ethical barriers to the use of human samples. The Kalebic team discusses how human forebrain organoids can be exploited to study human brain evolution and neurodevelopmental pathologies.
Human brain evolution has been linked to an increase in brain size and, in particular, to the expansion of the neocortex, a specialised brain region that controls higher cognitive functions such as conscious decision-making and language. The expansion of the neocortex is the result of an increased production of neuronal cells from neural progenitor cells named basal radial glia (bRG). Impaired proliferation of bRG impacts on neuronal cells and leads to the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Flaminia Kaluthantrige Don and Nereo Kalebic at the HT Neurogenomics Research Centre review current research on cerebral organoids – miniature organ-like 3D structures grown from cultured pluripotent stem cells and recapitulating the key features of human brain – as a tool to investigate human brain development in vitro, thus overcoming the limitations to the access and availability of human brain specimens. The researchers discuss how forebrain organoids have been instrumental to shed light on molecular and cellular features of the bRG, and how deregulation of vital signalling pathways in bRG is involved in the onset of various neurodevelopmental diseases.
The image shows neural progenitor cells (green) lining a ventricle of a day 76 brain organoid. A subpopulation of these progenitors, called basal radial glia (bRG), marked by a bRG marker (magenta), have their proliferating niche further away from the ventricle.
Human Technopole is proud to announce the launch of its new Gender Equality Plan (GEP) for 2025-2027, a strategic initiative designed to further integrate gender equality across all aspects of the Institute, building upon the successful outcomes of the previous GEP (2022-2024). HT has also achieved the UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification, which recognizes organizations that promote gender equality and foster inclusive workplaces.
Human Technopole is offering 2 fully funded 4-year PhD fellowships to young scientists from the national and international community who wish to undertake a doctoral degree on a project focused on Computational Biology.
An international study coordinated by Milan’s Human Technopole, the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London, and the Royal Marsden Hospital in London has shown that certain DNA fragments found in the blood of paediatric cancer patients can be used as “biomarkers” to obtain information on the characteristics of the disease and its ability to resist therapies. Analysing these fragments could represent an effective alternative to tumour tissue biopsy, a practice that is particularly difficult in children.
Human Technopole is honoured to have participated in today’s meeting at the Quirinale, where President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella welcomed a delegation from MIND on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the universal exposition Milano EXPO 2015.
Meet Carlos Jimenez, Postdoc in the Bienko Group (Genomics), who has been awarded a prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship from the European Union. The grant, totalling €172,750.08 and covering a two-year period, will support his groundbreaking project PRUNE – Uncovering the Proteomic Radial Organisation within the Eukaryotic Nucleus – to study how the spatial arrangement of nuclear proteins contributes to optimal cell functioning.
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