My research focuses on understanding how post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, particularly those mediated by non-coding RNAs, shape neuronal identity, synaptic excitability, and human neurogenesis, and how disruption of these mechanisms contributes to neurological disease.
A central focus of our lab is the circular RNA Cdr1as, a non-coding RNA conserved in mammals and highly expressed in the brain, and its interaction with the microRNA miR-7. I have shown that the Cdr1as-miR-7 axis is a key regulator of glutamatergic transmission and neuronal connectivity, revealing a post-transcriptional buffering mechanism involved in synaptic plasticity.
More broadly, my research asks how RNA regulatory circuits orchestrate neuronal identity throughout development, and how their disruption contributes to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease.