Cedric Boeckx
@cedricboeckx.bsky.social
ICREA Research Professor. Evolution, Genetics, Neuroscience, Linguistic Cognition
Pinned
Cedric Boeckx
@cedricboeckx.bsky.social
· Nov 16
![cortical organoid [image credit: O. Leonardi, who is leading this collaborative project]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ljcyk7tem65k7epgu5pkwuuh/bafkreico75nbiyo5zg6kzzahk5kxmcpcajygslloxkndmry2tnzr5q72pu@jpeg)
First post on this platform 👋. Glad to reconnect with old friends, and also learn from new contacts. Will post about intersecting themes: human evolution, genetics (esp. aDNA), neuroscience & cognition. Currently focusing on brain organoids and early developmental changes that may have had an impact
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Which human brain circuits are implicated in neurodevelopmental conditions? We bridged human genetics, spatial transcriptomics and neurodevelopment to discover the convergence of autism-associated genes in the developing human thalamus! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
November 11, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Which human brain circuits are implicated in neurodevelopmental conditions? We bridged human genetics, spatial transcriptomics and neurodevelopment to discover the convergence of autism-associated genes in the developing human thalamus! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Always happy to see researchers like A. Leblois, going beyond the classical birdsong circuit & looking at the #cerebellum to give it its due: “A lobule-specific neuronal representation of song temporal structure in the songbird cerebellum” 🧪🐦🎵🧠
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
A lobule-specific neuronal representation of song temporal structure in the songbird cerebellum
The cerebellum is involved in the acquisition and production of speech as revealed by clinical evidence and imaging studies, but its specific role however remains unclear. Songbirds provide a unique m...
www.biorxiv.org
November 11, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Always happy to see researchers like A. Leblois, going beyond the classical birdsong circuit & looking at the #cerebellum to give it its due: “A lobule-specific neuronal representation of song temporal structure in the songbird cerebellum” 🧪🐦🎵🧠
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
New preprint by Hannah Munby and @mollyprz.bsky.social:
“Revisiting the evidence for long-lived balancing selection in humans” 🧪🧬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
“Revisiting the evidence for long-lived balancing selection in humans” 🧪🧬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Revisiting the evidence for long-lived balancing selection in humans.
Balancing selection maintains variation in a population longer than expected under neutrality. In humans, there are dozens of tentative candidate loci for balancing selection, but only a handful of we...
www.biorxiv.org
November 11, 2025 at 1:06 PM
New preprint by Hannah Munby and @mollyprz.bsky.social:
“Revisiting the evidence for long-lived balancing selection in humans” 🧪🧬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
“Revisiting the evidence for long-lived balancing selection in humans” 🧪🧬
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Very nice study by @hannahlong.bsky.social in @dev-journal.bsky.social testing the impact of a Neanderthal-derived variant on the activity of an enhancer regulating aspects of jaw development 🧪🧬
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
November 10, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Very nice study by @hannahlong.bsky.social in @dev-journal.bsky.social testing the impact of a Neanderthal-derived variant on the activity of an enhancer regulating aspects of jaw development 🧪🧬
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Our new manuscript, led by Emily Corrigan, examines inhibitory neuron diversity across approximately 160 million years of evolutionary divergence, as part of BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN) developing brain atlas package: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Conservation and alteration of mammalian striatal interneurons - Nature
An analysis of cell-type diversity in brain samples from a variety of mammalian species, both during development and in adult animals, reveals that the TAC3 initial class of striatal interneurons is c...
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Our new manuscript, led by Emily Corrigan, examines inhibitory neuron diversity across approximately 160 million years of evolutionary divergence, as part of BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN) developing brain atlas package: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Our findings show that lactase persistence evolved not through a single story of selection, but as a mosaic shaped by diverse demographic and cultural histories, each leaving a distinct mark on the genome.
We thank our collaborators and welcome any feedback!
We thank our collaborators and welcome any feedback!
November 7, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Our findings show that lactase persistence evolved not through a single story of selection, but as a mosaic shaped by diverse demographic and cultural histories, each leaving a distinct mark on the genome.
We thank our collaborators and welcome any feedback!
We thank our collaborators and welcome any feedback!
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Just published! Pasca & Greely (1st, last, & corresponding authors) The Need for a Global Effort To Attend To Human Neural Organoid & Assembloid Research, SCIENCE 390(6773):574-577 (Nov. 6, 2025)
We think it's a big deal!
Other authors on next post-too many to fit.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We think it's a big deal!
Other authors on next post-too many to fit.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The need for a global effort to attend to human neural organoid and assembloid research
A continuing international process is needed to monitor and advise this rapidly progressing field
www.science.org
November 6, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Just published! Pasca & Greely (1st, last, & corresponding authors) The Need for a Global Effort To Attend To Human Neural Organoid & Assembloid Research, SCIENCE 390(6773):574-577 (Nov. 6, 2025)
We think it's a big deal!
Other authors on next post-too many to fit.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We think it's a big deal!
Other authors on next post-too many to fit.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Huge thanks to @drelenamiu.bsky.social @felixthehauskat.bsky.social @sheinalew.bsky.social @ndersen.bsky.social for organizing an excellent & true _work_-shop @aiasdk.bsky.social. I go back with a long reading list, tons of notes & food for thought re: extended childhood, innovation & evolution 🙏
First time in Aarhus. Grateful to @felixthehauskat.bsky.social @drelenamiu.bsky.social for inviting me to a great workshop on ontogeny, phylogeny, innovation & adaptation, seeking to understand what makes human childhood special @aiasdk.bsky.social @au.dk
November 7, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Huge thanks to @drelenamiu.bsky.social @felixthehauskat.bsky.social @sheinalew.bsky.social @ndersen.bsky.social for organizing an excellent & true _work_-shop @aiasdk.bsky.social. I go back with a long reading list, tons of notes & food for thought re: extended childhood, innovation & evolution 🙏
Outstanding work by @jeffspence.github.io @hakha.bsky.social
@jkpritch.bsky.social & colleagues
“Specificity, length and luck drive gene rankings in association studies”, out in @nature.com
🧪🧬
👇
@jkpritch.bsky.social & colleagues
“Specificity, length and luck drive gene rankings in association studies”, out in @nature.com
🧪🧬
👇
How do GWAS and rare variant burden tests rank gene signals?
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Specificity, length and luck drive gene rankings in association studies - Nature
Genetic association tests prioritize candidate genes based on different criteria.
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Outstanding work by @jeffspence.github.io @hakha.bsky.social
@jkpritch.bsky.social & colleagues
“Specificity, length and luck drive gene rankings in association studies”, out in @nature.com
🧪🧬
👇
@jkpritch.bsky.social & colleagues
“Specificity, length and luck drive gene rankings in association studies”, out in @nature.com
🧪🧬
👇
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
How do GWAS and rare variant burden tests rank gene signals?
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Specificity, length and luck drive gene rankings in association studies - Nature
Genetic association tests prioritize candidate genes based on different criteria.
www.nature.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:05 AM
How do GWAS and rare variant burden tests rank gene signals?
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
In new work @nature.com with @hakha.bsky.social, @jkpritch.bsky.social, and our wonderful coauthors we find that the key factors are what we call Specificity, Length, and Luck!
🧬🧪🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Lineage-resolved atlas of the developing human cortex www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Lineage-resolved atlas of the developing human cortex - Nature
Lineage tracing in human tissue samples from gestational weeks 16 to 24 provides insight into lineage relationships between cortical cell types and shows a switch in progenitor output from glutamaterg...
www.nature.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Lineage-resolved atlas of the developing human cortex www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
New issue of Nature - with NINE studies on #brain #development from the BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN) 🧠🧪🔬
An amazing set of resources for all scientists working on the brain!
🧠 Immersive feature:
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
🧠 Perspective:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
An amazing set of resources for all scientists working on the brain!
🧠 Immersive feature:
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
🧠 Perspective:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 5, 2025 at 6:53 PM
New issue of Nature - with NINE studies on #brain #development from the BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN) 🧠🧪🔬
An amazing set of resources for all scientists working on the brain!
🧠 Immersive feature:
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
🧠 Perspective:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
An amazing set of resources for all scientists working on the brain!
🧠 Immersive feature:
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
🧠 Perspective:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
😎😎😎😎 GOOD THINGS CAN STILL HAPPEN 😎😎😎😎
November 5, 2025 at 5:22 AM
😎😎😎😎 GOOD THINGS CAN STILL HAPPEN 😎😎😎😎
First time in Aarhus. Grateful to @felixthehauskat.bsky.social @drelenamiu.bsky.social for inviting me to a great workshop on ontogeny, phylogeny, innovation & adaptation, seeking to understand what makes human childhood special @aiasdk.bsky.social @au.dk
November 4, 2025 at 10:14 AM
First time in Aarhus. Grateful to @felixthehauskat.bsky.social @drelenamiu.bsky.social for inviting me to a great workshop on ontogeny, phylogeny, innovation & adaptation, seeking to understand what makes human childhood special @aiasdk.bsky.social @au.dk
New work by @gleesonlab.bsky.social & colleagues in @cp-cellstemcell.bsky.social
“A phenotypic brain organoid atlas and biobank for neurodevelopmental disorders” 🧪🧠🧫🧬
www.cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
“A phenotypic brain organoid atlas and biobank for neurodevelopmental disorders” 🧪🧠🧫🧬
www.cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
A phenotypic brain organoid atlas and biobank for neurodevelopmental disorders
Wang and colleagues present a phenotypic brain organoid atlas for neurodevelopmental
disorders, revealing disease-specific cellular and molecular alterations that illuminate
NDD pathogenesis. Integrat...
www.cell.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:26 PM
New work by @gleesonlab.bsky.social & colleagues in @cp-cellstemcell.bsky.social
“A phenotypic brain organoid atlas and biobank for neurodevelopmental disorders” 🧪🧠🧫🧬
www.cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
“A phenotypic brain organoid atlas and biobank for neurodevelopmental disorders” 🧪🧠🧫🧬
www.cell.com/cell-stem-ce...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Excitement over #neanderthal #crayons from #crimea
https://phys.org/news/2025-10-ancient-ochre-crayons-crimea-reveal.html
https://phys.org/news/2025-10-ancient-ochre-crayons-crimea-reveal.html
Ancient ochre crayons from Crimea reveal Neanderthals engaged in symbolic behaviors
Ochre is an iron-rich mineral pigment that was used by many ancient civilizations for color, decoration and practical tasks such as preserving animal hides and tanning clothing. Recent analysis of fragments of ochre at several Neanderthal sites is adding something new to the picture: that Neanderthals used ochre for symbolic purposes like drawing and marking surfaces.
phys.org
October 31, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs
The selective revision of beliefs in light of new evidence has been considered one of the hallmarks of human-level rationality. However, tests of this ability in other species are lacking. We examined...
www.science.org
October 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Are humans really the only rational animals? Our NEW PAPER 🎉 out in @science.org suggests otherwise! In a large collaboration led with my joint first author @hanna-schleihauf.bsky.social, we show that “Chimpanzees rationally revise their beliefs” 🧵
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Excited to share our latest work on a new cilia disassembly pathway and a link between this pathway and the neurological disorder focal cortical dysplasia: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Brief summary: we used a genome-wide CRISPRa GOF screen to identify negative regulators of ciliary signaling...
Brief summary: we used a genome-wide CRISPRa GOF screen to identify negative regulators of ciliary signaling...
A CRISPR activation screen reveals a cilia disassembly pathway mutated in focal cortical dysplasia
A gain-of-function screen uncovers a cilia disassembly pathway linked to genes somatically mutated in neurodevelopmental disease.
www.science.org
October 30, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Excited to share our latest work on a new cilia disassembly pathway and a link between this pathway and the neurological disorder focal cortical dysplasia: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Brief summary: we used a genome-wide CRISPRa GOF screen to identify negative regulators of ciliary signaling...
Brief summary: we used a genome-wide CRISPRa GOF screen to identify negative regulators of ciliary signaling...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
In praise of fundamental research
Our editorial this week argues that I n these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different
🧪
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Our editorial this week argues that I n these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different
🧪
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
From MRI to Ozempic: breakthroughs that show why fundamental research must be protected
In these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different.
www.nature.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:53 PM
In praise of fundamental research
Our editorial this week argues that I n these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different
🧪
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Our editorial this week argues that I n these financially straitened times, funders must recognize that great discoveries often arise from work that was looking for something completely different
🧪
@nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
More than two decades have passed since we discovered that rare disruptions of the FOXP2 gene disturb development of proficient speech/language skills. Today we know of multiple FOXP genes that are directly implicated in distinct brain-related conditions with differences in symptoms & severity.🧪 1/n
October 29, 2025 at 5:09 PM
More than two decades have passed since we discovered that rare disruptions of the FOXP2 gene disturb development of proficient speech/language skills. Today we know of multiple FOXP genes that are directly implicated in distinct brain-related conditions with differences in symptoms & severity.🧪 1/n
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
So proud to see our new paper out in PNAS spearheaded by @emilypigott.bsky.social She found a tiny 46,000 yr old Neanderthal bone at Starosele (Crimea). DNA work revealed long-distance connections across Eurasia, supported by stone tool evidence @heasvienna.bsky.social
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
October 29, 2025 at 9:17 AM
So proud to see our new paper out in PNAS spearheaded by @emilypigott.bsky.social She found a tiny 46,000 yr old Neanderthal bone at Starosele (Crimea). DNA work revealed long-distance connections across Eurasia, supported by stone tool evidence @heasvienna.bsky.social
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Thrilled to share my main postdoc work with @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social
We used genomic barcoding + scRNAseq in chick & human embryos to reveal a lineage architecture that reshapes how we understand neural tube development & cell fate decisions
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We used genomic barcoding + scRNAseq in chick & human embryos to reveal a lineage architecture that reshapes how we understand neural tube development & cell fate decisions
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hierarchical lineage architecture of human and avian spinal cord revealed by single-cell genomic barcoding
The formation of neural circuits depends on the precise spatial and temporal organisation of neuronal populations during development. In the vertebrate spinal cord, progenitors are patterned into mole...
www.biorxiv.org
October 26, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Thrilled to share my main postdoc work with @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social
We used genomic barcoding + scRNAseq in chick & human embryos to reveal a lineage architecture that reshapes how we understand neural tube development & cell fate decisions
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
We used genomic barcoding + scRNAseq in chick & human embryos to reveal a lineage architecture that reshapes how we understand neural tube development & cell fate decisions
🧵👇
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Cracking the code of the non-coding genome via allele-specific genomics?
Can we link non-coding elements—like lncRNAs and enhancers—to their protein-coding target genes, and in doing so, connect overlapping non-coding disease variants to their protein-coding counterparts?
Can we link non-coding elements—like lncRNAs and enhancers—to their protein-coding target genes, and in doing so, connect overlapping non-coding disease variants to their protein-coding counterparts?
October 24, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Cracking the code of the non-coding genome via allele-specific genomics?
Can we link non-coding elements—like lncRNAs and enhancers—to their protein-coding target genes, and in doing so, connect overlapping non-coding disease variants to their protein-coding counterparts?
Can we link non-coding elements—like lncRNAs and enhancers—to their protein-coding target genes, and in doing so, connect overlapping non-coding disease variants to their protein-coding counterparts?
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Together, these results outline a new framework for cortical learning: familiar representations stabilize in superficial layers, once established, they are hard to perturb. Deeper layers, on the other hand, stay more flexible to encode change.
October 24, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Together, these results outline a new framework for cortical learning: familiar representations stabilize in superficial layers, once established, they are hard to perturb. Deeper layers, on the other hand, stay more flexible to encode change.
Reposted by Cedric Boeckx
Why do complex traits differ in their genetic architecture?
In our new PLOS Biology paper, we will try to convince you that two simple scaling laws drive differences in the number, effect sizes and frequencies of causal variants affecting complex traits.
Thread:
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
In our new PLOS Biology paper, we will try to convince you that two simple scaling laws drive differences in the number, effect sizes and frequencies of causal variants affecting complex traits.
Thread:
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Simple scaling laws control the genetic architectures of human complex traits
Genome-wide association studies have revealed that the genetic architectures of complex traits vary widely. This study shows that differences in architectures of highly polygenic traits arise mainly f...
journals.plos.org
October 24, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Why do complex traits differ in their genetic architecture?
In our new PLOS Biology paper, we will try to convince you that two simple scaling laws drive differences in the number, effect sizes and frequencies of causal variants affecting complex traits.
Thread:
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
In our new PLOS Biology paper, we will try to convince you that two simple scaling laws drive differences in the number, effect sizes and frequencies of causal variants affecting complex traits.
Thread:
journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...