Shannon Zhen

This study identifies TDP-43-dependent cryptic splicing events in synaptic and membrane excitability genes and shows they drive neuronal dysfunction in ALS and FTD.

This paper develops a human iPSC-derived motor neuron-myogenic coculture platform to study NMJ innervation after axon injury and in SMA, showing blebbistatin enhances NMJ reinnervation and confirming reduced NMJ function in SMA patient-derived neurons.

This study shows that co-culturing human iPSC-derived sensory neurons with rodent satellite glia enhances their differentiation and maturation, leading to more mature phenotypes and improved disease modeling.