Pierre Vanderhaeghen
@vanderhaeghenp2.bsky.social
Neuroscientist at VIB KULeuven
Nice cover of our work linking SRGAP2/SYNGAP1 synaptic neoteny and ID/ASD with @blibep.bsky.social @benvermaercke.bsky.social @franckp.bsky.social @boninlab.bsky.social @cecilecharrier.bsky.social www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/pro...
Protein tug-of-war controls pace of synaptic development, sets human brains apart
Human-specific duplicates of SRGAP2 prolong cortical development by manipulating SYNGAP, an autism-linked protein that slows synaptic growth.
www.thetransmitter.org
October 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Nice cover of our work linking SRGAP2/SYNGAP1 synaptic neoteny and ID/ASD with @blibep.bsky.social @benvermaercke.bsky.social @franckp.bsky.social @boninlab.bsky.social @cecilecharrier.bsky.social www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/pro...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Very sad news, John Gurdon has died.
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS (1933-2025) | Magdalene College
Magdalene College is deeply saddened to announce the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS, who served as Master of the College from 1995 to 2002.
www.magd.cam.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Very sad news, John Gurdon has died.
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner
His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.
An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers
www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Out in Cell Genomics: A comprehensive analysis of the cell-type-specific effects of CHD8 loss of function on gene expression in the embryonic and juvenile mouse cortex. Thread 🧵:
www.cell.com/cell-genomic...
www.cell.com/cell-genomic...
Cell-type-specific dysregulation of gene expression due to Chd8 haploinsufficiency during mouse cortical development
Yim et al. use single-cell transcriptomics to elucidate the molecular outcomes of
Chd8 haploinsufficiency in the mouse cortex. Their results provide insight into dynamic,
cell-type-biased transcriptio...
www.cell.com
September 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Out in Cell Genomics: A comprehensive analysis of the cell-type-specific effects of CHD8 loss of function on gene expression in the embryonic and juvenile mouse cortex. Thread 🧵:
www.cell.com/cell-genomic...
www.cell.com/cell-genomic...
New from the lab: Fatty Acid Metabolism Sets the Species-specific Tempo of Cortical Development through Protein Acetylation Dynamics. Led by amazing trio: @ryo2iwata.bsky.social , Isabel Gallego, @emirerkol.bsky.social, together with @steinaerts.bsky.social , @fendtlab.bsky.social
Species-specific Rates of Fatty Acid Metabolism Set the Scale of Temporal Patterning of Corticogenesis through Protein Acetylation Dynamics
Developmental processes display temporal differences across species, leading to divergence in organ size and composition. In the cerebral cortex, neurons of diverse identities are generated sequential...
www.biorxiv.org
September 3, 2025 at 12:19 PM
New from the lab: Fatty Acid Metabolism Sets the Species-specific Tempo of Cortical Development through Protein Acetylation Dynamics. Led by amazing trio: @ryo2iwata.bsky.social , Isabel Gallego, @emirerkol.bsky.social, together with @steinaerts.bsky.social , @fendtlab.bsky.social
Beautiful and inspiring work from Gero Miesenböck and colleagues www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mitochondrial origins of the pressure to sleep - Nature
Research on Drosophila neurons shows links between the need to sleep and aerobic metabolism, indicating that the pressure to sleep may have a mitochondrial origin.
www.nature.com
July 31, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Beautiful and inspiring work from Gero Miesenböck and colleagues www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
May has been quite the month…
The #EvoDevoConference was a blast 💥
Thanks to all participants and organizers for your engagement!
@mdiazcuadros.bsky.social @bassemh.bsky.social @vanderhaeghenp2.bsky.social
📸
(1/2)
The #EvoDevoConference was a blast 💥
Thanks to all participants and organizers for your engagement!
@mdiazcuadros.bsky.social @bassemh.bsky.social @vanderhaeghenp2.bsky.social
📸
(1/2)
June 7, 2025 at 8:29 AM
May has been quite the month…
The #EvoDevoConference was a blast 💥
Thanks to all participants and organizers for your engagement!
@mdiazcuadros.bsky.social @bassemh.bsky.social @vanderhaeghenp2.bsky.social
📸
(1/2)
The #EvoDevoConference was a blast 💥
Thanks to all participants and organizers for your engagement!
@mdiazcuadros.bsky.social @bassemh.bsky.social @vanderhaeghenp2.bsky.social
📸
(1/2)
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Flybase lost all of the NIH support overnight - it is a disaster for the community. Please consider donating. I just did! www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
Drosophila Genetic Database
The Drosophila Genetic Database, FlyBase, is on the brink of collapse due to the sudden termination of the FlyBase NIH grant, which includes salaries for 5 literature curators based at the University ...
www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk
June 3, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Flybase lost all of the NIH support overnight - it is a disaster for the community. Please consider donating. I just did! www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/give-to-camb...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Hot off the press:
The excellent Maheva Andriatsilavo and colleagues show how a temporal sequence of stochastic molecular mechanisms allow the emergence of stereotyped individualised neuronal circuits. Just published in Nature Neuroscience:
rdcu.be/ek010
The excellent Maheva Andriatsilavo and colleagues show how a temporal sequence of stochastic molecular mechanisms allow the emergence of stereotyped individualised neuronal circuits. Just published in Nature Neuroscience:
rdcu.be/ek010
Sequential and independent probabilistic events regulate differential axon targeting during development in Drosophila melanogaster
Nature Neuroscience - The developmental origin of behavioral individuality is unclear. The authors show that a temporal sequence of genetically encoded stochastic mechanisms explains variation in...
rdcu.be
May 7, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Hot off the press:
The excellent Maheva Andriatsilavo and colleagues show how a temporal sequence of stochastic molecular mechanisms allow the emergence of stereotyped individualised neuronal circuits. Just published in Nature Neuroscience:
rdcu.be/ek010
The excellent Maheva Andriatsilavo and colleagues show how a temporal sequence of stochastic molecular mechanisms allow the emergence of stereotyped individualised neuronal circuits. Just published in Nature Neuroscience:
rdcu.be/ek010
wonderful - congratulations @debbysilver.bsky.social !!
Thrilled to share our latest study out in @natureportfolio.nature.com led by the fantastically talented Jing Liu. Our study provides insight into a long standing question in biology: What molecular features make us uniquely human and how do these function? www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A human-specific enhancer fine-tunes radial glia potency and corticogenesis - Nature
HARE5, a human accelerated region enhancer, modulates cortical development by influencing neural progenitor cell behaviour, leading to an enlarged neocortex with increased functional independence betw...
www.nature.com
May 14, 2025 at 9:35 PM
wonderful - congratulations @debbysilver.bsky.social !!
Fantastic opportunity for neuroscience research.
The ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Prize for a basic or clinical research project in the areas of neurodegenerative diseases or psychiatric disorders.
750.000 EUR - Deadline JUNE 30 2025.
www.fondation-roger-de-spoelberch.ch/en/roger-de-...
The ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Prize for a basic or clinical research project in the areas of neurodegenerative diseases or psychiatric disorders.
750.000 EUR - Deadline JUNE 30 2025.
www.fondation-roger-de-spoelberch.ch/en/roger-de-...
ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Prize | Fondation ROGER DE SPOELBERCH
Each year, the Foundation awards the ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Prize to a laureate for a clinical or fundamental scientific research project in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and certain psychiatri...
www.fondation-roger-de-spoelberch.ch
May 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Fantastic opportunity for neuroscience research.
The ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Prize for a basic or clinical research project in the areas of neurodegenerative diseases or psychiatric disorders.
750.000 EUR - Deadline JUNE 30 2025.
www.fondation-roger-de-spoelberch.ch/en/roger-de-...
The ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Prize for a basic or clinical research project in the areas of neurodegenerative diseases or psychiatric disorders.
750.000 EUR - Deadline JUNE 30 2025.
www.fondation-roger-de-spoelberch.ch/en/roger-de-...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Fantastic PhD opportunities at the intersection of machine learning and biology. Come join us at @vibai.bsky.social! More details at: vib.ai/en/vibai-int...
VIB.AI International PhD Call 2025
The VIB.AI International PhD Call 2025 is now open. We invite applicants from around the world to join an interdisciplinary research environment at the interface of AI, computational biology, and life...
vib.ai
May 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Fantastic PhD opportunities at the intersection of machine learning and biology. Come join us at @vibai.bsky.social! More details at: vib.ai/en/vibai-int...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Join us in Engelberg, Switzerland, for an exciting #EMBO workshop on #mitochondria in the nervous system #EMBOmitoNervousSys!
Great speaker line up and opportunities for short talks from early career scientists.
Submit your abstract until May 30st!
@jcourchet.bsky.social @tatjanakleele.bsky.social
Great speaker line up and opportunities for short talks from early career scientists.
Submit your abstract until May 30st!
@jcourchet.bsky.social @tatjanakleele.bsky.social
May 2, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Join us in Engelberg, Switzerland, for an exciting #EMBO workshop on #mitochondria in the nervous system #EMBOmitoNervousSys!
Great speaker line up and opportunities for short talks from early career scientists.
Submit your abstract until May 30st!
@jcourchet.bsky.social @tatjanakleele.bsky.social
Great speaker line up and opportunities for short talks from early career scientists.
Submit your abstract until May 30st!
@jcourchet.bsky.social @tatjanakleele.bsky.social
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
I'm thrilled to be co-organizing the very first EMBO Workshop bridging mitochondria and brain research - a powerhouse of science, ideas, and amazing speakers! 🧠🔬
📅 registration closes MAY 30th, so don’t wait to snag your spot!
Stay tuned - more updates about the topics and speakers coming soon! 🎙️
📅 registration closes MAY 30th, so don’t wait to snag your spot!
Stay tuned - more updates about the topics and speakers coming soon! 🎙️
📢Registration open!📢
So proud to see our very own Elisa Motori co-hosting this exciting EMBO Workshop: “Mitochondria in the Nervous System”
Co-sponsored by the CRC1218! Two invited speakers of the CRC1218! Don’t miss out!
🗓 29.09.-02.10.2025
📍Engelberg, CH
👉 meetings.embo.org/event/25-mit...
So proud to see our very own Elisa Motori co-hosting this exciting EMBO Workshop: “Mitochondria in the Nervous System”
Co-sponsored by the CRC1218! Two invited speakers of the CRC1218! Don’t miss out!
🗓 29.09.-02.10.2025
📍Engelberg, CH
👉 meetings.embo.org/event/25-mit...
May 5, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I'm thrilled to be co-organizing the very first EMBO Workshop bridging mitochondria and brain research - a powerhouse of science, ideas, and amazing speakers! 🧠🔬
📅 registration closes MAY 30th, so don’t wait to snag your spot!
Stay tuned - more updates about the topics and speakers coming soon! 🎙️
📅 registration closes MAY 30th, so don’t wait to snag your spot!
Stay tuned - more updates about the topics and speakers coming soon! 🎙️
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
It’s out! The first paper from my postdoc – and first from the @bhadurilab.bsky.social – is now live @natneuro.nature.com . 🧠✨
Using a new meta-atlas generation strategy, we identified functional gene networks that more fully explain how cell types are formed in the human cortex. (1/13)
Using a new meta-atlas generation strategy, we identified functional gene networks that more fully explain how cell types are formed in the human cortex. (1/13)
Parallel meta-analyses of the human cortex in development (seven datasets) and adulthood (16 datasets) generated over 500 gene co-expression networks that can describe mechanisms of cortical development, centering on peak stages of neurogenesis 🧠🧪
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Integrated analysis of molecular atlases unveils modules driving developmental cell subtype specification in the human cortex - Nature Neuroscience
Nano et al. introduce a pipeline to generate meta-atlases of the human brain from existing single-cell datasets and extract gene modules linked to cell fate specification. Perturbing these programs in...
www.nature.com
May 2, 2025 at 12:39 AM
It’s out! The first paper from my postdoc – and first from the @bhadurilab.bsky.social – is now live @natneuro.nature.com . 🧠✨
Using a new meta-atlas generation strategy, we identified functional gene networks that more fully explain how cell types are formed in the human cortex. (1/13)
Using a new meta-atlas generation strategy, we identified functional gene networks that more fully explain how cell types are formed in the human cortex. (1/13)
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Turns out eye colour (mainly a result of iris pigmentation) is yet another complex trait, now demystified by genomic advances. DNA variants in two neighbouring genes (HERC2 & OCA2) explain much of the blue-brown variation, but analyses of ~193k people in 2021 revealed another 50 genetic loci. 👇 7/n
Genome-wide association study in almost 195,000 individuals identifies 50 previously unidentified genetic loci for eye color
A GWAS including 192,986 European and 1636 Asian participants identifies 50 novel discrete associations with eye color.
www.science.org
May 2, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Turns out eye colour (mainly a result of iris pigmentation) is yet another complex trait, now demystified by genomic advances. DNA variants in two neighbouring genes (HERC2 & OCA2) explain much of the blue-brown variation, but analyses of ~193k people in 2021 revealed another 50 genetic loci. 👇 7/n
Very cool study from Ikuo Suzuki lab, comparing temporal patterning in mouse and rat cerebral cortex.
Non-uniform temporal scaling of neurogenesis for species-specific dosing of cortical excitatory subtypes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/bior...
Non-uniform temporal scaling of neurogenesis for species-specific dosing of cortical excitatory subtypes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/bior...
www.biorxiv.org
May 1, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Very cool study from Ikuo Suzuki lab, comparing temporal patterning in mouse and rat cerebral cortex.
Non-uniform temporal scaling of neurogenesis for species-specific dosing of cortical excitatory subtypes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/bior...
Non-uniform temporal scaling of neurogenesis for species-specific dosing of cortical excitatory subtypes.
www.biorxiv.org/content/bior...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Our latest manuscript (7 years in the works) tackles the question of how diurnal ground squirrels evolved a cone-dominant retina, in contrast to the ancestral rod-dominant retina retained by virtually all other mammals./1
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Heterochronic transcription factor expression drives cone-dominant retina development in 13-lined ground squirrels.
Evolutionary adaptation to diurnal vision in ground squirrels has led to the development of a cone-dominant retina, in stark contrast to the rod-dominant retinas of most mammals. The molecular mechani...
www.biorxiv.org
April 29, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Our latest manuscript (7 years in the works) tackles the question of how diurnal ground squirrels evolved a cone-dominant retina, in contrast to the ancestral rod-dominant retina retained by virtually all other mammals./1
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Exciting project in Parkinson's disease! Patrik Verstreken's lab (verstrekenlab.sites.vib.be) and my lab are looking for a postdoc to develop and apply ML methods to the analysis of exciting brain-on-chip data. Please spread the word!
More details at: jobs.vib.be/j/110908/pos...
More details at: jobs.vib.be/j/110908/pos...
Postdoc position: Computational methods for neurodegeneration research - VIB
About the labs
The Verstreken Lab and the Gonçalves Lab are based in Leuven, Belgium and part of the
jobs.vib.be
April 24, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Exciting project in Parkinson's disease! Patrik Verstreken's lab (verstrekenlab.sites.vib.be) and my lab are looking for a postdoc to develop and apply ML methods to the analysis of exciting brain-on-chip data. Please spread the word!
More details at: jobs.vib.be/j/110908/pos...
More details at: jobs.vib.be/j/110908/pos...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
Very excited to share our new preprint together with @daniedaaboul.bsky.social, where we studied the gene regulatory code that hippocampal granule cells (GCs) use during synapse formation (1/n)
A dynamic gene regulatory code drives synaptic development of hippocampal granule cells https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.27.645686v1
March 31, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Very excited to share our new preprint together with @daniedaaboul.bsky.social, where we studied the gene regulatory code that hippocampal granule cells (GCs) use during synapse formation (1/n)
With beautiful illustration of calcium imaging of human cortical neurons in visual cortex of awake transplanted mice by @benvermaercke.bsky.social @boninlab.bsky.social
Transplanted cells offer insight into human-specific properties, such as lengthy cortical development and sensitivity to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease, writes @vanderhaeghenp2.bsky.social in our “Frontiers in human neurotechnology” series.
www.thetransmitter.org/human-neurot...
www.thetransmitter.org/human-neurot...
In vivo veritas: Xenotransplantation can help us study the development and function of human neurons in a living brain
Transplanted cells offer insight into human-specific properties, such as a lengthy cortical development and sensitivity to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease.
www.thetransmitter.org
April 7, 2025 at 2:47 PM
With beautiful illustration of calcium imaging of human cortical neurons in visual cortex of awake transplanted mice by @benvermaercke.bsky.social @boninlab.bsky.social
A short Perspective on xenotransplantation to study human neuron development, evolution and disease
@thetransmitter.bsky.social
More related articles on human neurobiology coming out soon - thanks a lot to Josh Sanes for the initiative and opportunity!
www.thetransmitter.org/human-neurot...
@thetransmitter.bsky.social
More related articles on human neurobiology coming out soon - thanks a lot to Josh Sanes for the initiative and opportunity!
www.thetransmitter.org/human-neurot...
In vivo veritas: Xenotransplantation can help us study the development and function of human neurons in a living brain
Transplanted cells offer insight into human-specific properties, such as a lengthy cortical development and sensitivity to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease.
www.thetransmitter.org
April 7, 2025 at 2:42 PM
A short Perspective on xenotransplantation to study human neuron development, evolution and disease
@thetransmitter.bsky.social
More related articles on human neurobiology coming out soon - thanks a lot to Josh Sanes for the initiative and opportunity!
www.thetransmitter.org/human-neurot...
@thetransmitter.bsky.social
More related articles on human neurobiology coming out soon - thanks a lot to Josh Sanes for the initiative and opportunity!
www.thetransmitter.org/human-neurot...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
The latest essay in our new essay series exploring technologies for studying the human brain, guest edited by Josh Sanes.
Single-cell approaches are already shedding light on the human brain, identifying cell types that are vulnerable in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, for example, write Ed Lein and @hongkuizeng.bsky.social in The Transmitter's human neurotech series.
www.thetransmitter.org/human-neurot...
www.thetransmitter.org/human-neurot...
Single-cell genomics technologies and cell atlases have ushered in a new era of human neurobiology
Single-cell approaches are already shedding light on the human brain, identifying cell types that are most vulnerable in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, for example.
www.thetransmitter.org
March 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
The latest essay in our new essay series exploring technologies for studying the human brain, guest edited by Josh Sanes.
EMBOMtg Paris May 6-9
@aydoganlab.bsky.social @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social @brunetlab.bsky.social @ebisuyamiki.bsky.social @mwdorr.bsky.social @beyerlab.bsky.social @franckp.bsky.social @janereznick.bsky.social @olmedo-lab.bsky.social @perez-carrasco.bsky.social
meetings.embo.org/event/25-dev...
@aydoganlab.bsky.social @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social @brunetlab.bsky.social @ebisuyamiki.bsky.social @mwdorr.bsky.social @beyerlab.bsky.social @franckp.bsky.social @janereznick.bsky.social @olmedo-lab.bsky.social @perez-carrasco.bsky.social
meetings.embo.org/event/25-dev...
Developmental timing across species: From mechanisms to evolutionary insights
Like choreography, development consists of a highly ordered suite of steps and transitions. Modifying developmental tempo can affect final size and composition of tissues, as well as their plasticity…
meetings.embo.org
March 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Join us in Paris in May 6-9 for an exciting EMBO Workshop on Developmental timing mechanisms and evolution. Slots still open for short talks - Registration deadline next week!@bassemh.bsky.social @trayon.bsky.social @mdiazcuadros.bsky.social
meetings.embo.org/event/25-dev...
meetings.embo.org/event/25-dev...
Developmental timing across species: From mechanisms to evolutionary insights
Like choreography, development consists of a highly ordered suite of steps and transitions. Modifying developmental tempo can affect final size and composition of tissues, as well as their plasticity…
meetings.embo.org
March 25, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Join us in Paris in May 6-9 for an exciting EMBO Workshop on Developmental timing mechanisms and evolution. Slots still open for short talks - Registration deadline next week!@bassemh.bsky.social @trayon.bsky.social @mdiazcuadros.bsky.social
meetings.embo.org/event/25-dev...
meetings.embo.org/event/25-dev...
Reposted by Pierre Vanderhaeghen
How does gene regulation shape brain evolution? Our new preprint dives into this question in the context of mammalian cerebellum development! rb.gy/dbcxjz
Led by @ioansarr.bsky.social, @marisepp.bsky.social and @tyamadat.bsky.social, in collaboration with @steinaerts.bsky.social
Led by @ioansarr.bsky.social, @marisepp.bsky.social and @tyamadat.bsky.social, in collaboration with @steinaerts.bsky.social
March 16, 2025 at 10:31 AM
How does gene regulation shape brain evolution? Our new preprint dives into this question in the context of mammalian cerebellum development! rb.gy/dbcxjz
Led by @ioansarr.bsky.social, @marisepp.bsky.social and @tyamadat.bsky.social, in collaboration with @steinaerts.bsky.social
Led by @ioansarr.bsky.social, @marisepp.bsky.social and @tyamadat.bsky.social, in collaboration with @steinaerts.bsky.social