Role of primary cilia in brain development and function
The central goal of the Breslow Lab is to understand the functions of primary cilia in health and disease. While cilia are found on cells throughout the body, there is a growing recognition of their role in neuronal function and communication. Specifically, cilia house receptors for neurotransmitters, odorants, and light, which are commonly associated with synapses in the cerebral cortex and control the proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitors. Accordingly, ciliary defects underlie a range of neuronal disorders characterized by cognitive impairment, brain malformations, sensory defects, and epilepsy. They use systematic genetic screens, advanced microscopy, and biochemical approaches to study the mechanistic basis of ciliary function. By understanding the fundamental biology of cilia in mammalian cells, from fibroblasts to neurons, the Breslow lab aims to help advance the understanding of brain development and function.
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Biography
David Breslow received his bachelor’s degree in biochemical sciences from Harvard University and his PhD in chemistry and chemical biology from the University of California, San Francisco. Following postdoctoral work at Stanford, he started his lab in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale in 2017. He lives in New Haven with his wife (a physician at Yale) and two sons.