Schahram Akbarian

Abstract Here, we construct genome-scale maps of R-loops, three-stranded nucleic acid structures comprised of a DNA/RNA hybrid and a displaced single strand of DNA, in both proliferative and differentiated zones of the human prenatal brain. We show that R-loops are abundant in the progenitor-rich germinal matrix and preferentially form at gene promoters slated for upregulated expression at later stages of differentiation, including numerous neurodevelopmental risk genes.

Abstract Ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons are a key cell type for schizophrenia pathophysiology but information about cell type-specific genomic dysregulation in diseased brains is missing.

Abstract Genome wide association studies of schizophrenia reveal a complex polygenic risk architecture comprised of hundreds of risk variants; most are common in the population, non-coding, and act by genetically regulating the expression of one or more gene targets (“eGenes”). It remains unclear how the myriad genetic variants that are predicted to confer individually small effects combine to yield substantial clinical impacts in aggregate.