Unveiling the contribution of distinct progenitor pools to the different neuronal populations

KEY WORDS

Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Neuroscience

CITY

Barcelona

COUNTRY

Spain

DETAILS OF THE OFFER

The PhD candidate will be involved in deciphering the contribution of distinct progenitor pools to specific functional neuronal circuits during hindbrain morphogenesis. For this, he/she will combine intersectional genetic fate mapping, in vivo imaging and the use of the 3D-atlas of neuronal differentiation previously built up in the lab [Blanc et al, eLife 2022]. The progenitor-restricted intersectional fate mapping approach facilitates the exclusive genetic labelling of de?ned neural progenitors and their progeny based on the expression of two genes. In our case, we will select different progenitor cell populations by the expression of a given proneural gene and the differentiated neurons will be identified by expression of the pan-differentiation marker HuC, or by specific glutamatergic or GABAergic neurotransmitters makers. Since there is contradictory data about the progenitor origin of the glutamatergic and GABAergic neuronal populations, these experiments will allow to determine whether 

1. progenitor cell populations are uni/multipotent,
2. functional neuronal populations derive from single or multiple progenitor pools,
3. and the contribution of different progenitor populations to the whole neuronal population and to glutamatergic and GABAergic circuits.

He/she will dissect the gene regulatory network operating in the generation of specific mature neuronal populations by investigating whether we can predict changes in cell progenitor states by the specific transcriptional signature over time. We will use two approaches: RNA-seq of specific progenitor populations, and Hybridization Chain Reaction profiling that allows multiplexed quantitative analysis of mRNA expression with high resolution within intact specimens.

+INFO

TYPE OF JOB

PhD

INFORMATION CONTACT

cristina.pujades@upf.edu