Iris Salecker

Iris Salecker is a Professor at the Institut de Biologie de l’École Normale Supérieure (IBENS) in Paris, France. Her lab focuses on the development of the visual system in Drosophila melanogaster, studying how neurons and glial cells assemble into layered and columnar circuits. She previously led a group at the Francis Crick Institute in London until its full relocation to IBENS in December 2019, remaining affiliated with Crick until 2022.

Her research integrates genetics, molecular biology, and imaging techniques like Flybow to uncover mechanisms underlying neurogenesis, glial morphogenesis, and synaptic connectivity. Key projects include neuron-neuron interactions in layer formation, neuron-glia interactions in astrocyte development, and glial roles in neurite remodeling. The lab explores conserved principles of brain architecture with implications for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

Publications highlight discoveries in Netrin-guided axon targeting, migratory progenitors in neurogenesis, and Lapsyn’s role in astrocyte branches. Collaborations with platforms like Aozan and Eoulsan further computational and proteomic analyses.