Nenad Sestan, MD, PhD
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
Research in our laboratory investigates how neurons acquire distinct identities and form precise connections in the developing cerebral cortex, a part of the brain involved in a variety of higher cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor functions. We also study how these developmental processes have changed during evolution and in human disorders. We study these problems for primarily two reasons. The first reason is to explore what it is about our brain that makes us human. The most important distinction between humans and other species is largely thought to reside in the unique features of human brain development, especially the way in which intricate neuronal circuits of the cerebral cortex are wired. The second reason for this research is to understand why humans suffer from certain brain diseases. The emergence of intricate neuronal circuits has given us remarkable cognitive abilities, but may have also increased our susceptibility to disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.
An important element of our research is the integration of complementary approaches at the interface of developmental neurobiology, molecular biology, comparative genomics, and genetics. To achieve this, we combine
- Analyses of evolutionarily conserved developmental mechanisms using the genetically tractable mouse model
- Comparative analyses to identify human-specific features of brain development
- Genetic and molecular analyses of disorders of human cognitive development
Coauthors
Selected Publications
- The single-cell opioid responses in the context of HIV (SCORCH) consortiumAment S, Campbell R, Lobo M, Receveur J, Agrawal K, Borjabad A, Byrareddy S, Chang L, Clarke D, Emani P, Gabuzda D, Gaulton K, Giglio M, Giorgi F, Gok B, Guda C, Hadas E, Herb B, Hu W, Huttner A, Ishmam M, Jacobs M, Kelschenbach J, Kim D, Lee C, Liu S, Liu X, Madras B, Mahurkar A, Mash D, Mukamel E, Niu M, O’Connor R, Pagan C, Pang A, Pillai P, Repunte-Canonigo V, Ruzicka W, Stanley J, Tickle T, Tsai S, Wang A, Wills L, Wilson A, Wright S, Xu S, Yang J, Zand M, Zhang L, Zhang J, Akbarian S, Buch S, Cheng C, Corley M, Fox H, Gerstein M, Gummuluru S, Heiman M, Ho Y, Kellis M, Kenny P, Kluger Y, Milner T, Moore D, Morgello S, Ndhlovu L, Rana T, Sanna P, Satterlee J, Sestan N, Spector S, Spudich S, Tilgner H, Volsky D, White O, Williams D, Zeng H. The single-cell opioid responses in the context of HIV (SCORCH) consortium. Molecular Psychiatry 2024, 1-12. PMID: 38879719, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02620-7.
- Single-cell genomics and regulatory networks for 388 human brainsEmani P, Liu J, Clarke D, Jensen M, Warrell J, Gupta C, Meng R, Lee C, Xu S, Dursun C, Lou S, Chen Y, Chu Z, Galeev T, Hwang A, Li Y, Ni P, Zhou X, Bakken T, Bendl J, Bicks L, Chatterjee T, Cheng L, Cheng Y, Dai Y, Duan Z, Flaherty M, Fullard J, Gancz M, Garrido-Martín D, Gaynor-Gillett S, Grundman J, Hawken N, Henry E, Hoffman G, Huang A, Jiang Y, Jin T, Jorstad N, Kawaguchi R, Khullar S, Liu J, Liu J, Liu S, Ma S, Margolis M, Mazariegos S, Moore J, Moran J, Nguyen E, Phalke N, Pjanic M, Pratt H, Quintero D, Rajagopalan A, Riesenmy T, Shedd N, Shi M, Spector M, Terwilliger R, Travaglini K, Wamsley B, Wang G, Xia Y, Xiao S, Yang A, Zheng S, Gandal M, Lee D, Lein E, Roussos P, Sestan N, Weng Z, White K, Won H, Girgenti M, Zhang J, Wang D, Geschwind D, Gerstein M, Akbarian S, Abyzov A, Ahituv N, Arasappan D, Almagro Armenteros J, Beliveau B, Berretta S, Bharadwaj R, Bhattacharya A, Brennand K, Capauto D, Champagne F, Chatzinakos C, Chen H, Cheng L, Chess A, Chien J, Clement A, Collado-Torres L, Cooper G, Crawford G, Dai R, Daskalakis N, Davila-Velderrain J, Deep-Soboslay A, Deng C, DiPietro C, Dracheva S, Drusinsky S, Duong D, Eagles N, Edelstein J, Galani K, Girdhar K, Goes F, Greenleaf W, Guo H, Guo Q, Hadas Y, Hallmayer J, Han X, Haroutunian V, He C, Hicks S, Ho M, Ho L, Huang Y, Huuki-Myers L, Hyde T, Iatrou A, Inoue F, Jajoo A, Jiang L, Jin P, Jops C, Jourdon A, Kellis M, Kleinman J, Kleopoulos S, Kozlenkov A, Kriegstein A, Kundaje A, Kundu S, Li J, Li M, Lin X, Liu S, Liu C, Loupe J, Lu D, Ma L, Mariani J, Martinowich K, Maynard K, Myers R, Micallef C, Mikhailova T, Ming G, Mohammadi S, Monte E, Montgomery K, Mukamel E, Nairn A, Nemeroff C, Norton S, Nowakowski T, Omberg L, Page S, Park S, Patowary A, Pattni R, Pertea G, Peters M, Pinto D, Pochareddy S, Pollard K, Pollen A, Przytycki P, Purmann C, Qin Z, Qu P, Raj T, Reach S, Reimonn T, Ressler K, Ross D, Rozowsky J, Ruth M, Ruzicka W, Sanders S, Schneider J, Scuderi S, Sebra R, Seyfried N, Shao Z, Shieh A, Shin J, Skarica M, Snijders C, Song H, State M, Stein J, Steyert M, Subburaju S, Sudhof T, Snyder M, Tao R, Therrien K, Tsai L, Urban A, Vaccarino F, van Bakel H, Vo D, Voloudakis G, Wang T, Wang S, Wang Y, Wei Y, Weimer A, Weinberger D, Wen C, Whalen S, Willsey A, Wong W, Wu H, Wu F, Wuchty S, Wylie D, Yap C, Zeng B, Zhang P, Zhang C, Zhang B, Zhang Y, Ziffra R, Zeier Z, Zintel T. Single-cell genomics and regulatory networks for 388 human brains. Science 2024, 384: eadi5199. PMID: 38781369, DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5199.
- Massively parallel characterization of regulatory elements in the developing human cortexDeng C, Whalen S, Steyert M, Ziffra R, Przytycki P, Inoue F, Pereira D, Capauto D, Norton S, Vaccarino F, Pollen A, Nowakowski T, Ahituv N, Pollard K, Akbarian S, Abyzov A, Ahituv N, Arasappan D, Almagro Armenteros J, Beliveau B, Bendl J, Berretta S, Bharadwaj R, Bhattacharya A, Bicks L, Brennand K, Capauto D, Champagne F, Chatterjee T, Chatzinakos C, Chen Y, Chen H, Cheng Y, Cheng L, Chess A, Chien J, Chu Z, Clarke D, Clement A, Collado-Torres L, Cooper G, Crawford G, Dai R, Daskalakis N, Davila-Velderrain J, Deep-Soboslay A, Deng C, DiPietro C, Dracheva S, Drusinsky S, Duan Z, Duong D, Dursun C, Eagles N, Edelstein J, Emani P, Fullard J, Galani K, Galeev T, Gandal M, Gaynor S, Gerstein M, Geschwind D, Girdhar K, Goes F, Greenleaf W, Grundman J, Guo H, Guo Q, Gupta C, Hadas Y, Hallmayer J, Han X, Haroutunian V, Hawken N, He C, Henry E, Hicks S, Ho M, Ho L, Hoffman G, Huang Y, Huuki-Myers L, Hwang A, Hyde T, Iatrou A, Inoue F, Jajoo A, Jensen M, Jiang L, Jin P, Jin T, Jops C, Jourdon A, Kawaguchi R, Kellis M, Khullar S, Kleinman J, Kleopoulos S, Kozlenkov A, Kriegstein A, Kundaje A, Kundu S, Lee C, Lee D, Li J, Li M, Lin X, Liu S, Liu J, Liu J, Liu C, Liu S, Lou S, Loupe J, Lu D, Ma S, Ma L, Margolis M, Mariani J, Martinowich K, Maynard K, Mazariegos S, Meng R, Myers R, Micallef C, Mikhailova T, Ming G, Mohammadi S, Monte E, Montgomery K, Moore J, Moran J, Mukamel E, Nairn A, Nemeroff C, Ni P, Norton S, Nowakowski T, Omberg L, Page S, Park S, Patowary A, Pattni R, Pertea G, Peters M, Phalke N, Pinto D, Pjanic M, Pochareddy S, Pollard K, Pollen A, Pratt H, Przytycki P, Purmann C, Qin Z, Qu P, Quintero D, Raj T, Rajagopalan A, Reach S, Reimonn T, Ressler K, Ross D, Roussos P, Rozowsky J, Ruth M, Ruzicka W, Sanders S, Schneider J, Scuderi S, Sebra R, Sestan N, Seyfried N, Shao Z, Shedd N, Shieh A, Shin J, Skarica M, Snijders C, Song H, State M, Stein J, Steyert M, Subburaju S, Sudhof T, Snyder M, Tao R, Therrien K, Tsai L, Urban A, Vaccarino F, van Bakel H, Vo D, Voloudakis G, Wamsley B, Wang T, Wang S, Wang D, Wang Y, Warrell J, Wei Y, Weimer A, Weinberger D, Wen C, Weng Z, Whalen S, White K, Willsey A, Won H, Wong W, Wu H, Wu F, Wuchty S, Wylie D, Xu S, Yap C, Zeng B, Zhang P, Zhang C, Zhang B, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Zhou X, Ziffra R, Zeier Z, Zintel T. Massively parallel characterization of regulatory elements in the developing human cortex. Science 2024, 384: eadh0559. PMID: 38781390, DOI: 10.1126/science.adh0559.
- Cross-ancestry atlas of gene, isoform, and splicing regulation in the developing human brainWen C, Margolis M, Dai R, Zhang P, Przytycki P, Vo D, Bhattacharya A, Matoba N, Tang M, Jiao C, Kim M, Tsai E, Hoh C, Aygün N, Walker R, Chatzinakos C, Clarke D, Pratt H, Peters M, Gerstein M, Daskalakis N, Weng Z, Jaffe A, Kleinman J, Hyde T, Weinberger D, Bray N, Sestan N, Geschwind D, Roeder K, Gusev A, Pasaniuc B, Stein J, Love M, Pollard K, Liu C, Gandal M, Akbarian S, Abyzov A, Ahituv N, Arasappan D, Almagro Armenteros J, Beliveau B, Bendl J, Berretta S, Bharadwaj R, Bicks L, Brennand K, Capauto D, Champagne F, Chatterjee T, Chatzinakos C, Chen Y, Chen H, Cheng Y, Cheng L, Chess A, Chien J, Chu Z, Clement A, Collado-Torres L, Cooper G, Crawford G, Davila-Velderrain J, Deep-Soboslay A, Deng C, DiPietro C, Dracheva S, Drusinsky S, Duan Z, Duong D, Dursun C, Eagles N, Edelstein J, Emani P, Fullard J, Galani K, Galeev T, Gaynor S, Girdhar K, Goes F, Greenleaf W, Grundman J, Guo H, Guo Q, Gupta C, Hadas Y, Hallmayer J, Han X, Haroutunian V, Hawken N, He C, Henry E, Hicks S, Ho M, Ho L, Hoffman G, Huang Y, Huuki-Myers L, Hwang A, Iatrou A, Inoue F, Jajoo A, Jensen M, Jiang L, Jin P, Jin T, Jops C, Jourdon A, Kawaguchi R, Kellis M, Kleopoulos S, Kozlenkov A, Kriegstein A, Kundaje A, Kundu S, Lee C, Lee D, Li J, Li M, Lin X, Liu S, Liu J, Liu J, Liu S, Lou S, Loupe J, Lu D, Ma S, Ma L, Mariani J, Martinowich K, Maynard K, Mazariegos S, Meng R, Myers R, Micallef C, Mikhailova T, Ming G, Mohammadi S, Monte E, Montgomery K, Moore J, Moran J, Mukamel E, Nairn A, Nemeroff C, Ni P, Norton S, Nowakowski T, Omberg L, Page S, Park S, Patowary A, Pattni R, Pertea G, Phalke N, Pinto D, Pjanic M, Pochareddy S, Pollen A, Purmann C, Qin Z, Qu P, Quintero D, Raj T, Rajagopalan A, Reach S, Reimonn T, Ressler K, Ross D, Roussos P, Rozowsky J, Ruth M, Ruzicka W, Sanders S, Schneider J, Scuderi S, Sebra R, Seyfried N, Shao Z, Shedd N, Shieh A, Shin J, Skarica M, Snijders C, Song H, State M, Steyert M, Subburaju S, Sudhof T, Snyder M, Tao R, Therrien K, Tsai L, Urban A, Vaccarino F, van Bakel H, Voloudakis G, Wamsley B, Wang T, Wang S, Wang D, Wang Y, Warrell J, Wei Y, Weimer A, Whalen S, White K, Willsey A, Won H, Wong W, Wu H, Wu F, Wuchty S, Wylie D, Xu S, Yap C, Zeng B, Zhang C, Zhang B, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Zhou X, Ziffra R, Zeier Z, Zintel T. Cross-ancestry atlas of gene, isoform, and splicing regulation in the developing human brain. Science 2024, 384: eadh0829. PMID: 38781368, DOI: 10.1126/science.adh0829.
- Single-cell multi-cohort dissection of the schizophrenia transcriptomeRuzicka W, Mohammadi S, Fullard J, Davila-Velderrain J, Subburaju S, Tso D, Hourihan M, Jiang S, Lee H, Bendl J, Voloudakis G, Haroutunian V, Hoffman G, Roussos P, Kellis M, Akbarian S, Abyzov A, Ahituv N, Arasappan D, Almagro Armenteros J, Beliveau B, Berretta S, Bharadwaj R, Bhattacharya A, Bicks L, Brennand K, Capauto D, Champagne F, Chatterjee T, Chatzinakos C, Chen Y, Chen H, Cheng Y, Cheng L, Chess A, Chien J, Chu Z, Clarke D, Clement A, Collado-Torres L, Cooper G, Crawford G, Dai R, Daskalakis N, Deep-Soboslay A, Deng C, DiPietro C, Dracheva S, Drusinsky S, Duan Z, Duong D, Dursun C, Eagles N, Edelstein J, Emani P, Galani K, Galeev T, Gandal M, Gaynor S, Gerstein M, Geschwind D, Girdhar K, Goes F, Greenleaf W, Grundman J, Guo H, Guo Q, Gupta C, Hadas Y, Hallmayer J, Han X, Hawken N, He C, Henry E, Hicks S, Ho M, Ho L, Huang Y, Huuki-Myers L, Hwang A, Hyde T, Iatrou A, Inoue F, Jajoo A, Jensen M, Jiang L, Jin P, Jin T, Jops C, Jourdon A, Kawaguchi R, Kleinman J, Kleopoulos S, Kozlenkov A, Kriegstein A, Kundaje A, Kundu S, Lee C, Lee D, Li J, Li M, Lin X, Liu S, Liu J, Liu J, Liu C, Liu S, Lou S, Loupe J, Lu D, Ma S, Ma L, Margolis M, Mariani J, Martinowich K, Maynard K, Mazariegos S, Meng R, Myers R, Micallef C, Mikhailova T, Ming G, Monte E, Montgomery K, Moore J, Moran J, Mukamel E, Nairn A, Nemeroff C, Ni P, Norton S, Nowakowski T, Omberg L, Page S, Park S, Patowary A, Pattni R, Pertea G, Peters M, Phalke N, Pinto D, Pjanic M, Pochareddy S, Pollard K, Pollen A, Pratt H, Przytycki P, Purmann C, Qin Z, Qu P, Quintero D, Raj T, Rajagopalan A, Reach S, Reimonn T, Ressler K, Ross D, Rozowsky J, Ruth M, Sanders S, Schneider J, Scuderi S, Sebra R, Sestan N, Seyfried N, Shao Z, Shedd N, Shieh A, Shin J, Skarica M, Snijders C, Song H, State M, Stein J, Steyert M, Sudhof T, Snyder M, Tao R, Therrien K, Tsai L, Urban A, Vaccarino F, van Bakel H, Vo D, Wamsley B, Wang T, Wang S, Wang D, Wang Y, Warrell J, Wei Y, Weimer A, Weinberger D, Wen C, Weng Z, Whalen S, White K, Willsey A, Won H, Wong W, Wu H, Wu F, Wuchty S, Wylie D, Xu S, Yap C, Zeng B, Zhang P, Zhang C, Zhang B, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Zhou X, Ziffra R, Zeier Z, Zintel T. Single-cell multi-cohort dissection of the schizophrenia transcriptome. Science 2024, 384: eadg5136. PMID: 38781388, DOI: 10.1126/science.adg5136.
- A data-driven single-cell and spatial transcriptomic map of the human prefrontal cortexHuuki-Myers L, Spangler A, Eagles N, Montgomery K, Kwon S, Guo B, Grant-Peters M, Divecha H, Tippani M, Sriworarat C, Nguyen A, Ravichandran P, Tran M, Seyedian A, Hyde T, Kleinman J, Battle A, Page S, Ryten M, Hicks S, Martinowich K, Collado-Torres L, Maynard K, Akbarian S, Abyzov A, Ahituv N, Arasappan D, Almagro Armenteros J, Beliveau B, Bendl J, Berretta S, Bharadwaj R, Bhattacharya A, Bicks L, Brennand K, Capauto D, Champagne F, Chatterjee T, Chatzinakos C, Chen Y, Chen H, Cheng Y, Cheng L, Chess A, Chien J, Chu Z, Clarke D, Clement A, Collado-Torres L, Cooper G, Crawford G, Dai R, Daskalakis N, Davila-Velderrain J, Deep-Soboslay A, Deng C, DiPietro C, Dracheva S, Drusinsky S, Duan Z, Duong D, Dursun C, Eagles N, Edelstein J, Emani P, Fullard J, Galani K, Galeev T, Gandal M, Gaynor S, Gerstein M, Geschwind D, Girdhar K, Goes F, Greenleaf W, Grundman J, Guo H, Guo Q, Gupta C, Hadas Y, Hallmayer J, Han X, Haroutunian V, Hawken N, He C, Henry E, Hicks S, Ho M, Ho L, Hoffman G, Huang Y, Huuki-Myers L, Hwang A, Hyde T, Iatrou A, Inoue F, Jajoo A, Jensen M, Jiang L, Jin P, Jin T, Jops C, Jourdon A, Kawaguchi R, Kellis M, Kleinman J, Kleopoulos S, Kozlenkov A, Kriegstein A, Kundaje A, Kundu S, Lee C, Lee D, Li J, Li M, Lin X, Liu S, Liu J, Liu J, Liu C, Liu S, Lou S, Loupe J, Lu D, Ma S, Ma L, Margolis M, Mariani J, Martinowich K, Maynard K, Mazariegos S, Meng R, Myers R, Micallef C, Mikhailova T, Ming G, Mohammadi S, Monte E, Montgomery K, Moore J, Moran J, Mukamel E, Nairn A, Nemeroff C, Ni P, Norton S, Nowakowski T, Omberg L, Page S, Park S, Patowary A, Pattni R, Pertea G, Peters M, Phalke N, Pinto D, Pjanic M, Pochareddy S, Pollard K, Pollen A, Pratt H, Przytycki P, Purmann C, Qin Z, Qu P, Quintero D, Raj T, Rajagopalan A, Reach S, Reimonn T, Ressler K, Ross D, Roussos P, Rozowsky J, Ruth M, Ruzicka W, Sanders S, Schneider J, Scuderi S, Sebra R, Sestan N, Seyfried N, Shao Z, Shedd N, Shieh A, Shin J, Skarica M, Snijders C, Song H, State M, Stein J, Steyert M, Subburaju S, Sudhof T, Snyder M, Tao R, Therrien K, Tsai L, Urban A, Vaccarino F, van Bakel H, Vo D, Voloudakis G, Wamsley B, Wang T, Wang S, Wang D, Wang Y, Warrell J, Wei Y, Weimer A, Weinberger D, Wen C, Weng Z, Whalen S, White K, Willsey A, Won H, Wong W, Wu H, Wu F, Wuchty S, Wylie D, Xu S, Yap C, Zeng B, Zhang P, Zhang C, Zhang B, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Zhou X, Ziffra R, Zeier Z, Zintel T. A data-driven single-cell and spatial transcriptomic map of the human prefrontal cortex. Science 2024, 384: eadh1938. PMID: 38781370, DOI: 10.1126/science.adh1938.
- Sex-Differential Gene Expression in Developing Human Cortex and Its Intersection With Autism Risk PathwaysKissel L, Pochareddy S, An J, Sestan N, Sanders S, Wang X, Werling D. Sex-Differential Gene Expression in Developing Human Cortex and Its Intersection With Autism Risk Pathways. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science 2024, 4: 100321. PMID: 38957312, PMCID: PMC11217612, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100321.
- Human-specific features and developmental dynamics of the brain N-glycomeKlarić T, Gudelj I, Santpere G, Novokmet M, Vučković F, Ma S, Doll H, Risgaard R, Bathla S, Karger A, Nairn A, Luria V, Bečeheli I, Sherwood C, Ely J, Hof P, Sousa A, Josić D, Lauc G, Sestan N. Human-specific features and developmental dynamics of the brain N-glycome. Science Advances 2023, 9: eadg2615. PMID: 38055821, PMCID: PMC10699788, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg2615.
- Genomic data resources of the Brain Somatic Mosaicism Network for neuropsychiatric diseasesGarrison M, Jang Y, Bae T, Cherskov A, Emery S, Fasching L, Jones A, Moldovan J, Molitor C, Pochareddy S, Peters M, Shin J, Wang Y, Yang X, Akbarian S, Chess A, Gage F, Gleeson J, Kidd J, McConnell M, Mills R, Moran J, Park P, Sestan N, Urban A, Vaccarino F, Walsh C, Weinberger D, Wheelan S, Abyzov A. Genomic data resources of the Brain Somatic Mosaicism Network for neuropsychiatric diseases. Scientific Data 2023, 10: 813. PMID: 37985666, PMCID: PMC10662356, DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02645-7.
- The Emerging Biology of Autism Spectrum DisordersState MW, Šestan N. The Emerging Biology of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Science 2012, 337: 1301-1303. PMID: 22984058, PMCID: PMC3657753, DOI: 10.1126/science.1224989.