Unique genomic and molecular features of the human nervous system and their implications in disease
The human nervous system is the seat of our open-ended culture and cognitive ability, which are unique emergent properties in nature. We employed advanced molecular profiling, cellular models, and creative computational techniques to profile cells of the developing human nervous system. We uncovered timed cell-intrinsic developmental programs unfolding over months, characterized the transcription factor logic of differentiation trajectories, and used machine learning to connect epigenetic states to genetic risk for neurodevelopmental disease. We also profiled unrecognized developmental cell states: a multipotent progenitor expressing epigenetic programs of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes; and multiple astrocyte precursors that could.