Our approach
Cellular modeling in anthropology and neuroscience
What can cells in a dish teach us about brain development, aging, and evolution?
In the Marchetto Lab at UC San Diego, we address this question by generating a variety of neural cell types from human and nonhuman primate induced pluripotent stem cells, allowing us to model key aspects of neurobiology.
Our work follows two related lines of investigation. In the first, we use human cells to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying typical brain development, neurodevelopmental variation, and aging. In the second, we compare cells from humans and nonhuman primates to investigate how evolutionary changes at the cellular level shape both the human brain's remarkable capacities and its unique vulnerabilities.
Our work is supported by grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, as well as private foundations.
Department of Anthropology – UC San Diego
Social Sciences Research Building, 3rd Floor
Rooms 344 & 345
Our work follows two related lines of investigation. In the first, we use human cells to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying typical brain development, neurodevelopmental variation, and aging. In the second, we compare cells from humans and nonhuman primates to investigate how evolutionary changes at the cellular level shape both the human brain's remarkable capacities and its unique vulnerabilities.
Our work is supported by grants from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, as well as private foundations.
Department of Anthropology – UC San Diego
Social Sciences Research Building, 3rd Floor
Rooms 344 & 345