Nuclear Factor One Genes in Brain Development: from macrocephaly to brain tumours

Dr Jens Bunt, Queensland Brain Institute, presents:
Nuclear Factor One Genes in Brain Development: from macrocephaly to brain tumours

The Nuclear factor I (NFI) family of transcription factors are important for normal brain development. Recent studies have also implicated these genes in human disease: while haploinsufficiency of NFI was discovered as a novel cause of intellectual disability with macrocephaly in humans, loss of NFI has been implicated in brain tumour progression and differentiation.

To examine how NFI contributes to these diseases, we generated complex mouse models to disrupt NFI expression in the brain. These mice mimic the human patients. Normally, NFI proteins tightly regulate the transition of brain progenitor cells from proliferation to the generation of differentiated cells. However, when NFI was reduced or absent, cells remained proliferative longer, resulting in overgrowth. Using these mouse models, we are now determining the underlying processes as well as the consequences for brain structure and function.

Please join us for tea and biscuits following the seminar.