How do messenger substances, so-called neurotransmitters, control the development and evolution of the cerebral cortex? This is the question Dr. Simone Mayer addresses in her research. Since September 2018 she heads the independent research group “Molecular Brain Development” at the HIH. In her work, she compares various mammalian species and uses a variety of cell biological, biochemical and bioinformatic methods. In addition to the basic mechanisms, she is interested in how disorders in these messenger systems may promote brain diseases. “Neocortical networks are at the heart of human cognition, but their high complexity may have contributed to the evolutionary emergence of various psychiatric and neurological disorders,” explains Mayer. Since neurotransmitters are targeted by various drugs, her research also sheds light on the risk and potential to influence brain development during pregnancy.

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