Mercedes Paredes, MD, PhD

Assoc Professor in Residence
Neurology
Research Overview: 

The Paredes lab studies cortical development to understand the molecular and cellular basis of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as epilepsy, and brain malformations. Our hypothesis is that the gyrencephalic brain has evolved developmental processes and a prolonged timeline that, when disrupted, will lead to cortical disorganization and aberrant connectivity. We are currently focused on identifying features of neuronal progenitor proliferation and migration, with an emphasis on the perinatal period, that are unique to the gyrated brain. Our approach is to advance ways to directly investigate the human brain and to better model its development using gyrencephalic systems like the piglet cortex.

Migratory neurons in piglet brain

 

Primary Thematic Area: 
Neurobiology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
None
Research Summary: 
Studying cortical development to understand the molecular and cellular basis of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as epilepsy and brain malformations.
Publications: 

Molecular and cellular dynamics of the developing human neocortex.

Nature

Wang L, Wang C, Moriano JA, Chen S, Zuo G, Cebrián-Silla A, Zhang S, Mukhtar T, Wang S, Song M, de Oliveira LG, Bi Q, Augustin JJ, Ge X, Paredes MF, Huang EJ, Alvarez-Buylla A, Duan X, Li J, Kriegstein AR

Microglia regulate GABAergic neurogenesis in prenatal human brain through IGF1.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Yu D, Jain S, Wangzhou A, De Florencio S, Zhu B, Kim JY, Choi JJ, Paredes MF, Nowakowski TJ, Huang EJ, Piao X

Temporally distinct 3D multi-omic dynamics in the developing human brain.

Nature

Heffel MG, Zhou J, Zhang Y, Lee DS, Hou K, Pastor-Alonso O, Abuhanna KD, Galasso J, Kern C, Tai CY, Garcia-Padilla C, Nafisi M, Zhou Y, Schmitt AD, Li T, Haeussler M, Wick B, Zhang MJ, Xie F, Ziffra RS, Mukamel EA, Eskin E, Nowakowski TJ, Dixon JR, Pasaniuc B, Ecker JR, Zhu Q, Bintu B, Paredes MF, Luo C

Molecular and cellular dynamics of the developing human neocortex at single-cell resolution.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Wang L, Wang C, Moriano JA, Chen S, Zuo G, Cebrián-Silla A, Zhang S, Mukhtar T, Wang S, Song M, de Oliveira LG, Bi Q, Augustin JJ, Ge X, Paredes MF, Huang EJ, Alvarez-Buylla A, Duan X, Li J, Kriegstein AR

Conservation, alteration, and redistribution of mammalian striatal interneurons.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Corrigan EK, DeBerardine M, Poddar A, Turrero García M, Schmitz MT, Harwell CC, Paredes MF, Krienen FM, Pollen AA