IBEC Seminar: Dr. Mykhailo Batiuk

The complexity of the brain in both health and pathology stems from its immense cellular heterogeneity. Consequently, it is increasingly recognized that studying the brain at cellular resolution is essential for understanding its function. In this talk, I will present my research focused on glial diversity and the molecular perturbations underlying psychiatric conditions, investigated through the lens of single-cell genomics.

First, I will discuss the discovery of molecular and functional astrocyte heterogeneity. By leveraging single-cell RNA sequencing, we revealed that astrocytes are not a uniform population but consist of distinct molecular subtypes with unique spatial locations and physiological properties. Second, I will transition to human pathology, where I utilized large-scale single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomics to map neuronal perturbations in schizophrenia. This work identified a “hotspot” of disturbance in the upper cortical layers, providing a new map for understanding the cellular basis of the disorder. Finally, I will present my current research on the epigenetic basis of traumatic memory. Together, these insights provide a blueprint for my future research: identifying and validating novel genomic targets to alleviate the pathology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).