Polyxeni Philippidou

A cholinergic spinal pathway for the adaptive control of breathing

This study identifies a spinal cholinergic pathway that enhances breathing by amplifying phrenic motor neuron output during hypercapnia.

A sustained Hox program delineates brainstem neurons essential for breathing

The paper identifies Hox5's role in organizing and specializing brainstem neurons critical for breathing, showing its necessity for respiratory function and survival.

Multimodal Hox5 activity generates motor neuron diversity

This study identifies how Hoxa5 interacts with transcription factors and regulates chromatin accessibility to generate motor neuron subtype diversity in mice.

Scalable, optically-responsive human neuromuscular junction model reveals convergent mechanisms of synaptic dysfunction in familial ALS

This study develops a human neuromuscular junction model from pluripotent stem cells to investigate synaptic dysfunction in familial ALS and assess therapeutic candidates.

Catenin signaling controls phrenic motor neuron development and function during a narrow temporal window

This study shows that catenin signaling is essential for phrenic motor neuron development but not maintenance, affecting their topography, clustering, and axon/dendrite growth.

Coordinated cadherin functions sculpt respiratory motor circuit connectivity

This study shows that coordinated cadherin activity in respiratory motor neurons and interneurons is essential for proper circuit connectivity and breathing function.