Researchers study how networks of genes in the brain and body respond to both inherited genetic differences and life experiences, helping explain why individuals and species can be so diverse despite sharing many of the same biological foundations. By combining genomics, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology, GNDP scientists seek to understand how genes, environment, and experience interact to influence development, behavior, adaptation, and the remarkable diversity of life.
Recent Publications from GNDP
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From Leaders of the Theme
The Gene Networks in Neural and Developmental Plasticity (GNDP) research theme investigates how gene regulatory networks shape the remarkable diversity of animal development, brain function, and behavior. Although many fundamental biological processes are conserved across species, GNDP researchers seek to understand how small changes in gene expression and regulatory pathways produce differences in form, function, and behavioral traits. Their work focuses on identifying the conserved genetic mechanisms that underlie development and neural processes and determining how modifications to these networks generate behavioral diversity both within and among species.
A central interest of the theme is the role of gene regulation, epigenetics, and environmental influences in developmental and behavioral plasticity. GNDP scientists study how transcription factors, signaling molecules, regulatory RNAs, and other molecular “first responders” interact within complex networks to coordinate responses to environmental signals. These networks can be altered not only by genetic mutations but also through epigenetic changes that occur in response to experience and environmental conditions. By examining how gene expression is dynamically regulated, researchers aim to understand how organisms adapt, learn, develop, and exhibit individual differences in behavior.
To address these questions, GNDP employs a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, studying diverse animal models and generating genome-scale datasets that connect genes, brains, and behavior. Research within the theme spans topics such as neurogenomics, development, social behavior, evolution, and adaptation. The theme has played a leading role in expanding neuroscience to include the study of gene regulatory networks in the brain, revealing how genomic mechanisms contribute to behavioral variation and plasticity. Through these efforts, GNDP seeks to uncover the molecular foundations of development and behavior and to explain how genetic and environmental factors interact to shape biological diversity. Projects in the theme have been funded by NIH, NSF and the Simons Foundation.
