Assistant Professor
Julien Muffat
Molecular Genetics
PhD
Location
SickKids - Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning
Address
686 Bay Street, 17-9708, Toronto, Ontario Canada M5G 0A4
Research Interests
Behaviour and mental illness, Cell biology, CRISPR-Cas9 and genome engineering, Developmental biology, Disease models, Gene regulation and expression, Genome analysis and sequencing, Neurodegeneration and neurodevelopment, Neuroscience, Immunology, Imaging and microscopy, Microbiome, Metabolism, Rare diseases, Single cell and spatial biology, Stem cell biology, Technology development, Viruses
The Muffat Lab studies how genetic and environmental vulnerabilities intersect to cause neurological disorders. We develop novel 3D cultures derived from human iPSCs to study degenerative diseases of the brain. We focus on inflammatory triggers, including viral aetiologies, in diseases such as Autism, Multiple Sclerosis or Alzheimer's. Our work aims to highlight the role of glial cells in establishing neuronal dysfunction. The CRISPR toolkit allows functional interrogation of disease-associated variants expressed in specific cell types, and unbiased genome-wide screens of cellular states and resilience.
Awards
- Canada Research Chair in Synthetic Neuroimmunology and Stem Cell Bioengineering
- Medicine By Design Investigator
Cross-affiliations
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Program at The Hospital for Sick Children
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program at The Hospital for Sick Children