Dr. Peng Jiang Publishes Review in Neuron on Human-Rodent Chimeric Brain Models for Studying Brain Disorders

A review article by Dr. Peng Jiang, Associate Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at the School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers New Brunswick and BHI member, was recently published in Neuron. Dr. Jiang and his trainees summarized the status of cutting-edge neuroscience research involving the use of human-rodent chimeric brain models. These unique “sci-fi” sounding models, created by transplanting human tissues or stem cells into rodent brains, help scientists understand brain development and complex disorders like autism and Alzheimer’s. Dr. Jiang’s lab has been working on these novel chimeric brain models for over a decade, supported in part by pilot grant funding from the BHI. Among the authors of the review article is Dr. Alessandro Stillitano, who was recently awarded a $500 travel grant from BHI, highlighting BHI’s commitment to training the next generation of neuroscience leaders.