معرفی
Sonia Garel is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the École Normale Supérieure (ENS), Paris. She leads the Brain Development and Plasticity research team, focusing on understanding how embryonic programs and maternal signals control the assembly of functional forebrain circuits. Her work integrates experimental approaches in mice to study neuronal migration, axonal navigation, and microglial roles in brain morphogenesis.
Research Interests:
Gael's research explores mechanisms underlying cortical circuit formation, prenatal inflammation's impact on neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism, schizophrenia), and microglia's roles in structural integrity during fetal brain development. Key areas include axonal guidance (thalamic and corticothalamic connections), Cajal-Retzius neuron dynamics, and the interplay between activity-dependent processes and environmental factors.
Recent Work Trends:
Her publications emphasize microglia's critical role in fetal brain development, serotonergic regulation of axonal plasticity post-preterm birth, and the biphasic effects of inflammation on inhibitory circuits. Recent studies also highlight microbiome influences on microglia and sex-specific developmental pathways.
Lab & Collaborations:
Her team collaborates with computational biologists and uses advanced imaging techniques. The lab investigates how intrinsic developmental programs and external signals (e.g., maternal environment) shape neural circuits, with implications for neuropsychiatric disease etiology.
