Aug 2016: Congratulation to Dr Thomas Theil and his team on this award to study stem cells in the developing brain. The cerebral cortex confers humans with their unique cognitive capabilities and relies on a striking diversity of neurons to fulfil its highly complex neural tasks. Generating these different neurons in sufficient numbers requires controlling the balance between proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells from which these neurons are formed.In this project, Thomas and his group aim to investigate how the primary cilium, an antenna like protrusion from the cell surface with important functions in cell-cell signalling, coordinates the activity of cortical stem cells. This research will not only contribute to our knowledge of cilia function in cortex development but will also have implications for our understanding of how cortical malformations develop in ciliopathies, human diseases caused by defects in cilia structure and/or function. Dr Thomas Theil Related linksThomas Theil's research profileThe BBSRC Publication date 24 Aug, 2016
