The Bhattacharyya Laboratory
Faculty > Anita Bhattacharyya
Anita Bhattacharyya
Senior Scientist, Waisman Center
bhattacharyy@waisman.wisc.edu
Bhattacharyya Laboratory Home Page
Organ System/Disease Focus
Nervous system, developmental disorders
Aligned Research Focus
Basic stem cell science, drug discovery and testing
Research Description
My research examines how brain development is altered in individuals with developmental disabilities. I am using human pluripotent stem cells to study the formation of the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is the most complex area of the brain and is responsible for functions unique to humans, such as language and abstract thought. Problems with any of the cerebral cortex’s crucial development steps can lead to mental retardation.
My goal is to use stem cells to examine the alterations that occur in cortical development in Down syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome and autism. These studies will not only shed light on brain development in these developmental disorders, but will help our understanding of human brain development in general.
Selected References
Svendsen CN, Bhattacharyya A, Tai YT. Neurons from stem cells: preventing an identity crisis. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2:831-834. 2001.
Bhattacharyya A, Svendsen CN. Human neural stem cells: a new tool for studying cortical development in Down syndrome. Genes, Brain and Behavior 2(3):179-186. 2003.
Kelley, DJ, Davidson RJ, Lahvis G, Yin JCP, and Bhattacharyya A. The cyclic AMP cascade is altered in Fragile X neural tissue. PLoS One. PLoS ONE Sep 26; 2(9):e931.
Bhattacharyya A, McMillan E, Wallace K, Tubon TC, Capowski EE, and Svendsen CN. (2008). Normal neurogenesis but altered gene expression in human Fragile X progenitor cells. Stem Cells and Development 17(1): 107-118.
Bhattacharyya A, McMillan E, Chen SI, Wallace K and Svendsen CN. A critical period in cortical interneuron neurogenesis in Down syndrome revealed by human neural progenitor cells (in press Developmental Neuroscience).