Discovering Cell Type Specific Functions of The Extracellular Matrix in the Central Nervous System in Development and Disease

The cerebral cortex builds itself from hundreds of different neuron types, but scientists have largely overlooked one key player in that process: the glue-like material between cells, called the extracellular matrix (ECM). This research addresses a fundamental gap in developmental neuroscience. We know the genetic programs that specify neuron identity, but we understand far less about how physical and chemical signals from the ECM guide those programs. The ECM is not just structural scaffolding—it is complex and varies between cell types, suggesting it actively shapes which neurons become what. Without this knowledge, we cannot fully explain how the brain wires itself correctly, nor why it goes wrong in disorders such as autism. The researcher will map which ECM molecules different neuron types produce, test how those molecules affect neuron migration and axon growth, and uncover the gene-regulatory logic behind ECM production. Crucially, the work will also compare ECM composition in a Latin American cohort of individuals with autism spectrum disorders, adding diversity to a field dominated by European and North American samples. This is fundamental science. It will not yield a therapy or diagnostic tomorrow. But understanding the ECM’s role in neuronal identity could eventually reveal new targets for conditions where brain wiring goes awry—and the capacity-building component will make single-cell technologies more accessible across Latin America.