Paschalis Kratsios is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Chicago's Biological Sciences Division. His research program investigates gene regulatory mechanisms underlying motor neuron development and dysfunction, with implications for neurodegenerative diseases like ALS. Dr. Kratsios employs C. elegans and mouse models alongside cutting-edge genomic techniques including CRISPR editing and ATAC-seq. His academic training includes a Ph.D. in Developmental Biology from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL, 2009) and postdoctoral training in Developmental Neurobiology at Columbia University (completed 2016). Research interests center on: Motor neuron specification via transcription factor networks Chromatin dynamics in neuronal identity maintenance Evolutionarily conserved mechanisms from C. elegans to mammals Neurodegenerative pathogenesis in ALS and spinal muscular atrophy Recent publications (2021-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on Hox gene functions, neuronal identity maintenance, and CRISPR-based methodologies, with work published in Nature Communications , Cell Reports , and eLife . Awards and honors: NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (2013-2018) Whitehall Foundation Award for Neurobiology (2017-2019) Dr. Kratsios leads multiple NIH-funded projects as Principal Investigator, including R01 grants focused on motor neuron terminal identity mechanisms. His lab emphasizes cross-species validation and genomic approaches to decode cis-regulatory elements governing neural development. The Kratsios Lab (http://kratsioslab.uchicago.edu) integrates genetics, genomics, and behavioral assays to study neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, with active collaborations across neurobiology and genomics fields.









