About the Lab

The Haydar Laboratory is focused on forebrain development and function. A major focus is the study of how forebrain stem and progenitor cells generate the extraordinary level of neuronal diversity and circuit complexity during development. We are particularly interested in how brain development is modified in developmental disorders such as Down syndrome, epilepsy and autism, and are exploring how the hundreds of triplicated genes in Down syndrome lead to motor dysfunction and intellectual disability.

The Haydar Laboratory has hosted a long history of dedicated and productive graduate students and postdoctoral fellows working on these projects. The lab is a welcoming, productive and inclusive environment where scientific questions can be addressed with cutting edge tools of exploration.

Our goal is to conduct the most relevant, mechanistic neuroscience projects, which means we often work with other groups at Children’s National and other institutions. In these collaborative studies, we use a variety of techniques, including gene expression profiling, in utero electroporation, patch clamp electrophysiology, laser scanning microscopy and cognitive behavioral testing.