Genetic differences between humans lead to variability in the structure and function of the brain. Through the collaboration of many different labs across the world leading to analysis of over 30,000 participants, researchers have identified common genetic variants that affect human cortical and subcortical structure as measured through MRI. While these findings provide insight into molecular pathways involved in determining human brain structure, the cellular basis of these brain structure differences is not known due to the limited resolution of MRI. To address this, the team conducts tissue clearing and lightsheet imaging of intact mouse brains harboring psychiatric disorder associations and human organoids to understand genetically mediated differences in brain cytoarchitecture.

Jason Stein is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics & UNC Neuroscience Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on understanding how genetic variation alters brain development, structure, and function.