Stem cells are unique in their ability to self renew and to form at least one differentiated cell type. These properties render them indispensable for cell replacement therapies for diseases of the heamatopoietic system, muscle degeneration and syndromes of the central and peripheral nervous system. Before novel therapies are established however, many fundamental questions remain yet to be answered. What defines a stem cell? What are the molecular pathways that preserve its developmental potential? What are the signals that reprogram it and control its differentiation?

Our work aims to understand how stem cells acquire a neural fate. We study stem cells in the embryonic nervous system, the neural stem cells, using mouse as our experimental organism. We use a combination of molecular, genetic, cell biology and histological techniques to identify the molecular pathways, the microenvironmental cues and the epigenetic factors that determine the establishment and maintenance of a neural stem cell identity. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms that govern the birth and self-renewal properties of neural stem cells is essential, as they represent the most appropriate donor cells in cell replacement therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and neurotrauma in humans.