Benjamin Finander

Pervasive Somatic Mutations in NF1 Drive Cell Type and Spatially Specific Clonal Selection in Neurofibromatosis

The paper identifies pervasive somatic NF1 mutations in oligodendrocyte precursors in NF-1 patients, showing clonal selection and spatial bias, and links CDKN2A loss to tumor progression.

Somatic mutations and single-nucleus transcriptomics reveal uniquely human properties of neuronal aging

The paper compares somatic mutation rates and transcriptomic changes in neurons across six mammalian species, finding higher mutation accumulation and distinct age-related dysregulation in human neurons.

Somatic mutation in human cerebellum illustrates neuron type-specific patterns of age-related mutation

The paper analyzes somatic mutations in cerebellar granule neurons and finds distinct mutation patterns compared to other neuronal types, suggesting links to cancer origins and neurodegeneration.

Activating Ras-MAPK pathway variants drive hippocampal clonal competition in human epilepsy

This study identifies somatic Ras-MAPK pathway variants in hippocampal tissue from patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, showing their association with clonal competition and worse surgical outcomes.

Neuronal activity triggers widespread changes in RNA stability

The paper shows neuronal activity affects RNA stability, with HuD regulating mRNA abundance and variants linked to neurodevelopmental disorders disrupting this process.

Cell-type-informed genotyping of mosaic focal epilepsies reveals cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous disease-associated transcriptional programs

This study uses snRNA-seq and a new method called GO-TEN to analyze mosaic genetic variants in focal cortical dysplasia, revealing cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous transcriptional changes associated with epilepsy.

Developmental Dynamics of RNA Translation in the Human Brain

This study maps RNA translation dynamics in the human brain using ribosome profiling, identifying thousands of novel translation events and brain-specific microproteins linked to schizophrenia.

Ultrastructure of synaptic connectivity within sub-regions of the SCN revealed by genetically encoded EM tag and SBEM

The paper maps synaptic connectivity patterns in the SCN core and shell using EM techniques, showing the shell receives denser mRGC inputs than the core.