Lab life

In June 2025, the Fund Janine and Jacques Delruelle presented an award to Gabriele Marcassa, a former PhD student of the lab. The award was accepted on his behalf by Prof. Joris de Wit, Dr. Dan Dascenco and some team members.

The awarded study, published in Nature Communications, provided innovative insights into how different types of neurons in the brain form connections and communicate. Focusing on the cortical layer 5, the Gabriele and the team used an advanced technique called proximity biotinylation to map the molecular composition of excitatory synapses in intact mouse brain circuits.

They discovered distinct molecular profiles for two key neuron types, called intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons. Importantly, the results revealed a higher enrichment of risk genes involved in autism IT neuron synapses, suggesting these connections may be especially vulnerable in autism.

This breakthrough not only deepens our understanding of brain circuit biology, but also paves the way for new approaches to studying and potentially treating neurological and psychiatric conditions.

(Adapted from VIB News)