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Zoltan Molnar
Professor of Developmental Neuroscience
Aleisha Durmaz
Masters Student
My research interest is in the consequences of increased survival of transient layer 6b/subplate neurons on the development and function of cortical networks, and the potential involvement of layer 6b/subplate in developmental disorders such as autism and epilepsy. PTEN is a master regulator in neuronal signalling, acting as a global growth-promoting PI3K signalling suppressor. As such, I hope to examine the possible abnormal layer 6b/subplate development induced by dysregulation of subplate apoptosis and synaptic rewiring in PTEN deficient mice. From this, I hope to understand possible developmental changes in layer 6b/subplate resulting in a potentially hypersensitive, hyperexcitatory, and overactive state. This will be conducted as part of a project in collaboration with the Eickholt laboratory at the Charité – University Medicine Berlin.