Characterisation of cortical subplate neurons
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Physiology Anatomy and Genetics
Abstract
Building the brain is like erecting a huge complex tower or bridge. The construction requires a dynamic scaffold which is built and modified along with the final permanent structure. After the completion of the construction the scaffold has to be dismantled at the right places and at the right time. The subplate, the earliest generated and largely transient cortical neurons is the foundation of the brain, and disruption of these cells may be the source of many developmental flaws, and therefore a fundamental topic to study. Cerebral cortical developmental disorders (schizophrenia, autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD) and perinatal hypoxic injuries (periventricular leucomalacia, PVL) involve cells of the subplate. The Molnar group has been investigating the integration of subplate cells into the intracortical and extracortical circuitry, their neurochemical properties and physiological characteristics over the last 15 years. The major hindrance of progress in the understanding of the role of this enigmatic cell population in cortical development and disease is the lack of reliable markers for these cells. In view of the selective vulnerability of this cell population and their important role in cortical development we propose to identify specific gene expression patterns in subplate and exploit this knowledge for further molecular and genetic approaches to study their role and vulnerability. These approaches require much specialised skills, which are beyond the scope of a single research group. The proposed collaboration will foster the interactions between a molecular and genetic laboratory and a cellular and anatomical group within the same Department of the same University and will open opportinities for collaboration with practising clinicians to initiate clinical applications in neuro-imaging, psychiatry, ophthalmology and neuropathology.
Technical Summary
This proposal addresses the development of cortical circuits which is important for the understanding of many disorders such as childhood epilepsy, schizophrenia, autism and cerebral palsy. Subplate neurons are amongst the earliest generated neurons of our brain and lay the foundation of our developing cerebral cortex. They integrate into the developing intra and extracortical circuitry, providing vital support for critical developmental steps. After subserving these functions, the majority of subplate neurons die and give way to the permanent cortical circuits. The lack of the molecular characterisation and selective markers hinders the progress in this field. We will combine neuroanatomical (Molnar) with molecular genetic (Davies) techniques to identify markers for this cell population. We have generated pilot data which suggests that our approach will work, enabling us to make a significant contribution to this field. We propose the further comparisons in gene expression between layer VI and subplate cells at various developmental time points in different cortical regions (putative primary somatosensory cortex and visual cortex) using microarray analysis. Our E18 and P8 screens have already identified candidate genes which are selectively expressed or expressed at a higher level in subplate cells than in the neighbouring layer VI cells. In this proposal we (1) wish to extend the gene expression analysis to additional stages (E15 and adult); (2) study selected mouse mutants (including CTGF and Nkx2.2 KOs); (3) relate gene expression patterns to cortical circuitry; (4) generate two transgenic mice lines (one with reporter gene expression and one conditional KO); (5) investigate comparative aspects of subplate in rodent and human and (6) start to use the markers in the study of rodent models of pathological conditions (including reeler mouse, cdk5 KO and Scrambler mouse). It is our intention to start to use the new subplate markers in clinical diagnosis and we have set up collaborations with the groups of Harrison, Rutherford and Ragge to exploit these new molecular tags in the clinicopathological analysis of brain developmental disorders.
Organisations
- University of Oxford, United Kingdom (Collaboration, Lead Research Organisation)
- National Institutes of Health, United States (Collaboration)
- University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
- University Hospital Centre Vaudois (Collaboration)
- University of New Mexico, United States (Collaboration)
- University of Melbourne, Australia (Collaboration)
- Charité - University of Medicine Berlin (Collaboration)
- Medical Research Council (Collaboration)
- University of California Los Angeles, United States (Collaboration)
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, United States (Collaboration)
- King's College London, United Kingdom (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Zoltan Molnar (Principal Investigator) | |
Kay Davies (Co-Investigator) |
Publications

Abdel-Mannan O
(2008)
Evolution of cortical neurogenesis.
in Brain research bulletin

Abe P
(2015)
Intermediate Progenitors Facilitate Intracortical Progression of Thalamocortical Axons and Interneurons through CXCL12 Chemokine Signaling
in Journal of Neuroscience

Adorjan I
(2019)
Neuroserpin expression during human brain development and in adult brain revealed by immunohistochemistry and single cell RNA sequencing
in Journal of Anatomy

Babbs A
(2020)
2-Arylbenzo[d]oxazole Phosphinate Esters as Second-Generation Modulators of Utrophin for the Treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
in Journal of medicinal chemistry

Bakken TE
(2016)
A comprehensive transcriptional map of primate brain development.
in Nature

Bhagwandin A
(2020)
Distribution, number, and certain neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons in the brains of three megachiropteran bat species.
in The Journal of comparative neurology

Boon J
(2019)
Long-range projections from sparse populations of GABAergic neurons in murine subplate
in Journal of Comparative Neurology

Britanova O
(2008)
Satb2 is a postmitotic determinant for upper-layer neuron specification in the neocortex.
in Neuron

Bruguier H
(2020)
In search of common developmental and evolutionary origin of the claustrum and subplate.
in The Journal of comparative neurology

Cheng J
(2016)
Precise Somatotopic Thalamocortical Axon Guidance Depends on LPA-Mediated PRG-2/Radixin Signaling.
in Neuron
Title | Artworks generated by pupils and audience after neuroscience lectures |
Description | https://history.medsci.ox.ac.uk/art/activities/brain-portraits/A resource for teaching Science, art and creativity Resource of new ideas to spark the imagination for teaching science through art with downloadable activities Nobel prize winning scientist, Sir Charles Scott Sherrington, was a neuroscientist who was passionate about teaching. He was an extraordinary man - a curious, creative scientist who expressed and explored his wonder at life through writing and poetry. Scientist-turned-artist, Dr Lizzie Burns, has used Sherrington's words and ways of looking at the world to create cross-curricular resources for primary, secondary schools and beyond The website is generated in collaboration with Dr Burns and the History of Medical Sciences website (Dr Damion Young and Dr Zoltan Molnar and colleagues). |
Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Impact | We received feedback on our website: https://history.medsci.ox.ac.uk/art/feedback/, indicating that the audience was engaged. |
URL | https://history.medsci.ox.ac.uk/art/activities/brain-portraits/ |
Title | The Art of Anatomy Exhibition - St John's College, Oxford (July 2018) |
Description | Art of Anatomy Exhibition, The Barn, June-July, 2018 Professor Clive Lee (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland & Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts) Dr Sarah Simbler (Tutor of Anatomy at the Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford) Dr Tian S. Liang (Early Career Leverhulme Fellow, St John's College) Professor Zoltán Molnár (Tutor of Human Anatomy, St John's College, Oxford) This exhibition will explore the artistic representation of anatomy during different historic periods and in different parts of the world. It will coincide with the Summer Meeting of the Anatomical Society and the Editor of Journal of Anatomy has invited papers from the anatomists and artists involved (1). Anatomy Transformed Professor Clive Lee is Professor of Anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts, Visiting Professor of Biomechanics at Trinity College Dublin and has applied to be a Visiting Researcher at St John's College during Trinity Term 2018. In medicine and engineering, anatomy is applied, but in art it is transformed. Transformation by distortion is examined by comparing masterpieces, such as Ingres' La Grande Odalisque, estimated to have 3 extra lumbar vertebrae, with anatomically accurate computer images generated by Oscar winning engineer, Anil Kokaram (2,3). The balance between accuracy and artistry is explored in a triptych from passport photo to photographic portrait, by Amelia Stein RHA, to a portrait in oils by Mick O'Dea, President of the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts www.rhagallery.ie The biomechanics of beauty will explore the practicalities of aesthetic ideals from an engineering standpoint. Finally, Anatomists, Engineers & Artists is a video installation showing the creation of an on-line 3D surface anatomy course: www.rcsi.ie/surfaceanatomy Science, History, Art Dr Sarah Simblet is a fine artist, writer, broadcaster and anatomist, Tutor in Anatomy at the Ruskin School of Art (BFA) and she teaches Short Courses in Anatomy, Botany and Drawing on the Summer School Programme (4). She is author of Anatomy for the Artist (2001), The Drawing Book (2005), Botany for the Artist (2010) and co-author of The New Sylva (2014). Sarah is dedicated to sharing and encouraging visual intelligence in others through her drawings, teaching and broadcasting worldwide. www.rsa.ox.ac.uk/people/sarah-simblet Anatomising the Body: Art, Science and the Humanities in Modern China Dr Tian S. Liang is a Leverhulme Fellow at St John's College and co-editor of Hong Ling: A Retrospective. Taipei: Soka Art (2016). She specialises in modern and contemporary East Asian art and explores understandings of human anatomy and its relations to artistic representations of the human body in China between 1851 and 1949 (5). By placing the knowledge of human anatomy at the centre of a broader nexus of artistic, medical, educational, publishing and humanitarian contexts, this project will provide the first history of the ways in which the 'body' was scientifically assessed and artistically represented across different visual media - painting, sculpture, print, woodcut and photography. https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/awards-made/awards-focus/anatomising-body-art-science-and-humanities-modern-china-1851%E2%80%931949 Cerebral Art Professor Zoltan Molnar is Tutor of Human Anatomy at St John's College Oxford, Professor of Developmental Neuroscience at Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics. His main research interest is in the development of the cerebral cortex. He has been running and organising the Neuroanatomy Practicals since 2000 at the University of Oxford. He can see art in the structure of the brain, in its histology, images. He has a huge collection of microscopic images. For some examples see (6) and for journal covers selected from Molnár Laboratories illustration see: https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/research/molnar-group/publications-front-covers/journal-covers |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Impact | This exhibition will explore the artistic representation of anatomy during different historic periods and in different parts of the world. It will coincide with the Summer Meeting of the Anatomical Society and the Editor of Journal of Anatomy has invited papers from the anatomists and artists involved. |
URL | https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/college-life/art/ |
Title | The Oxford Science and Ideas Festival - The consciousness field |
Description | https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/news/the-oxford-science-and-ideas-festival http://www.theconsciousnessfield.com/index.html Once again researchers from across our Oxford Neuroscience Community pulled all the stops out for the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. Extensive programmes of activities were run by the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the Department of Experimental Psychology. In addition, the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics' Zoltan Molnar in collaboration with Colin Blakemore and St John's College put on a holographic presentation 'The Consciousness Field' created by artist Maria Lopez. |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Impact | The exhibition was very well attended and the general public had the chance to ask questions from researchers and artists. http://www.theconsciousnessfield.com/index.html |
URL | https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/news/the-oxford-science-and-ideas-festival |
Description | Emphasized the human-specific differences in cerebral cortical development |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in clinical reviews |
Description | Keynote Lecture for the Turkish Epilepsy Society Meeting (held online), Istanbul March 2021 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | The developing nervous system can't be considered as a smaller version of the adult brain. The mechanisms of childhood epilepsy are very different from the adult, although the prevalence is just as high. In my lecture I emphasised the lack of knowledge of the basic principles of cerebral cortical circuit formation. Without that knowledge is it very difficult to elevate the platform from which we can tackle some of these devastating conditions. |
URL | https://www.turkepilepsi.org.tr/etkinlikler/12/aylik-bilimsel-toplantilar/218/future-directions-of-n... |
Description | Senior Founding Member of the University of Oxford Cortex Club |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | The Cortex Club connects researchers at the University of Oxford with world-leading neuroscientists through a unique educational forum dealing with cutting-edge topics and significant challenges in neuroscience. Our events range from small intense debates with up-and-coming scientists to large discussion sessions led by internationally prominent speakers, followed by the opportunity to ask them questions over drinks. News release on the establishment of the cortex club: https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/news/cortex-club-celebrates-10-years-of-student-run-talks-and-discussions-for-oxfords-neuroscience-community |
URL | http://cortexclub.com |
Description | Symposium speaker on 40th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian Neuroscience Society, Perth |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | I delivered a lecture as a symposium speaker on 40th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian Neuroscience Society, Perth, Australia (online). |
URL | https://www.ans.org.au/ans-2020-asm/ans-conference |
Description | ZM is regularly teaching on Courses organized by the European Confederation of Neuropathological Societies (EURO-CNS) CME |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | I contribute to the training of Paediatric Neuropathologists by lecturing on Courses organised by the European Confederation of Neuropathological Societies (EURO-CNS) CME and the The Royal College of Pathologists Continuing Professional Development. |
URL | http://www.euro-cns.org/events/cme-training-courses/ |
Description | BBSRC Project Grant |
Amount | £600,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/F003285 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2007 |
End | 04/2010 |
Description | John Fell Fund (Oxford Uni) |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | John Fell Fund |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | NEUROBID FP7-HEALTH-2009 No:241778- "Neuroscience on Barriers in Development" |
Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 241778 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start |
Description | Oxford Martin School Program Grant - 3D Printing for Brain Repair |
Amount | £1,000,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Oxford Martin School |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2024 |
Description | St John's College, Oxford Research Grant |
Amount | £18,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AVR02540 |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | St John's College Oxford |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 09/2022 |
Title | 3D Printing for Brain Repair |
Description | Oxford Martin School Program on 3D Printing for Brain Repair. A team of Oxford University scientists, comprising DPAG's Zoltán Molnár and Francis Szele, the Department of Chemistry's Hagan Bayley and Oxford Martin Fellow Dr Linna Zhou, are proposing a radical new approach funded by the Oxford Martin School: repairing the brain with 3D-printed neural tissues that are generated from human stem cells. Read the interview with Prof Szele and Molnár on DPAG News. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/news/3d-printing-for-brain-repair An in-depth look into a collaborative DPAG, Chemistry and Oxford Martin School project pioneering a radical new approach in which the brain is repaired with 3D-printed neural tissues. Brain damage through injury or disease is devastating for the patient, their families and society. Furthermore, the global economic consequences are known to be expanding exponentially; Alzheimer's Disease alone is projected to affect 92 million people by 2050 when the costs associated with dementia could reach $1.1 trillion a year. So far, existing pharmaceutical and biotherapeutic treatments have been insufficient and clinical trials have repeatedly failed. A team of Oxford University scientists, comprising DPAG's Zoltán Molnár and Francis Szele, the Department of Chemistry's Hagan Bayley and Oxford Martin Fellow Dr Linna Zhou, are proposing a radical new approach funded by the Oxford Martin School: repairing the brain with 3D-printed neural tissues that are generated from human stem cells. Through printing a variety of cortical neurons and supporting glial and endothelial cells, the team will develop layered 'pre-organised' printed neural tissue in vitro that will mimic the basic structure of cerebral cortex columns. They will then transplant the printed layered cortical tissue into animal models of traumatic brain injury initially, a condition which affects 5.3 million people globally. |
URL | https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/news/3d-printing-for-brain-repair |
Title | High quality RNA from multiple brain regions |
Description | We established and optimised a method for the collection of high quality RNA from multiple brain regions, which were simultanelously acquired by laser capture microdissection. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2009 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The publication (PMID:19580671) has been requested from us by numerous groups even before its publication. |
URL | http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/19580671 |
Title | Improved protocols for laser capture microdissection |
Description | We have developed a simple, flexible, and low-cost method for simultaneously producing RNA from discrete cell groups in embryonic day 15 mouse brain. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2009 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | BMC Mol Biol. 2009 Jul 6;10:69. High quality RNA from multiple brain regions simultaneously acquired by laser capture microdissection. Wang WZ, Oeschger FM, Lee S, Molnár Z. |
URL | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=High+quality+RNA+from+multiple+brain+regions+simultaneously... |
Title | Modern tracing methods with carbocyanine dyes. |
Description | We optimised conditions for the use of multiple fluorescent carbocuanine dyes in various systems and species (including human postmortem specimen). The advantage of this method is that it can be used on fixed material, therefore it is contributing to 3Rs! |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2007 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | We published the summary of our methods: Molnár Z, Blakey D, Bystron I, Carney R, (2006) Tract-tracing in developing systems and in post-mortem human material. Neuroanatomical Tract-Tracing 3: Molecules - Neurons - Systems, Springer/Kluwer/Plenum, NY, (Editors: L Zaborszky, FG Wouterlood, JL Lanciego). Chapter 12:336-393. |
URL | http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-vPcRekAT6oC&pg=PA362&lpg=PA362&dq=L+Zaborszky,+FG+Wouterlood,+JL... |
Title | Murine subplate markers for E15, E18, P8 ages |
Description | We performed microarray analysis to identify markers expressed in the murine subplate at various ages. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/19008461 |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2008 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Various neuropathology laboratories have approached us after the publication of: PMID: 19008461 for probes. We are very happy to see that these markers are useful for the wider community (including human neuropathologists). |
URL | https://molnar.dpag.ox.ac.uk/subplate/ |
Title | Subplate markers for human pathological analysis |
Description | We identified several new subtype specific biomarkers for subplate neurons. These can be used in human pathology and in animla models of human pathology (e.g. periventircular leucomalachia). |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2008 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | These markers will have impact on neuropathological diagnosis (selective loss of subplate neurons) and perhaps in psychiatry. The markers will enable us to detect subtle neuropathological abnormalities. |
URL | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21368089 |
Title | Subplate neuronal markers - P8 |
Description | We performed microarray analysis on postbatal 8 days old mouse subplate and layer 6. This data has been published: PMID: 19008461 |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2008 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Novel markers reveal subpopulations of subplate neurons in the murine cerebral cortex. Hoerder-Suabedissen A, Wang WZ, Lee S, Davies KE, Goffinet AM, Rakic S, Parnavelas J, Reim K, Nicolic M, Paulsen O, Molnár Z. Cereb Cortex. 2009 Aug;19(8):1738-50. |
URL | http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/19008461 |
Title | database on layerspecific cortical transcriptome: http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/layers |
Description | This new resource (http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/layers) greatly extends currently available resources, such as the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas and microarray data sets, by providing quantitative expression levels, by being genome-wide, by including novel loci, and by identifying candidate alternatively spliced transcripts that are differentially expressed across layers. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/layers It is difficult to judge at present, too early, but we noticed that our paper PMID: 21867878 had the highest download in the journal of NEURON after a few weeks of publication. |
URL | http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/layers |
Title | A Transcriptomic Atlas of Mouse Neocortical Layers - supplementary website for Belgard, et al. (2011) |
Description | A transcriptomic atlas of mouse neocortical layers. Belgard TG, Marques AC, Oliver PL, Abaan HO, Sirey TM, Hoerder-Suabedissen A, García-Moreno F, Molnár Z, Margulies EH, Ponting CP. Neuron. 2011 Aug 25;71(4):605-16. We sequenced transcriptomes from layers 1-6b of different areas (primary and secondary) of the adult (postnatal day 56) mouse somatosensory cortex to understand the transcriptional levels and functional repertoires of coding and noncoding loci for cells constituting these layers. A total of 5,835 protein-coding genes and 66 noncoding RNA loci are differentially expressed ("patterned") across the layers, on the basis of a machine-learning model (naive Bayes) approach. Layers 2-6b are each associated with specific functional and disease annotations that provide insights into their biological roles. This new resource (http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/layers) greatly extends currently available resources, such as the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas and microarray data sets, by providing quantitative expression levels, by being genome-wide, by including novel loci, and by identifying candidate alternatively spliced transcripts that are differentially expressed across layers. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This is the first website that describe the layer-specific transcriptome of the adult mouse cortex using deep sequencing method. This enables the study of splice variants and non-coding transcripts. |
URL | http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/layers |
Title | Online database of subplate gene expression at https://molnar.dpag.ox.ac.uk/subplate/. |
Description | Here we present gene expression evidence for distinct roles of the mouse subplate across development as well as unique molecular markers to extend the repertoire of subplate labels. Performing systematic comparisons between different ages (embryonic days 15 and 18, postnatal day 8, and adult), we reveal the dynamic and constant features of the markers labeling subplate cells during embryonic and early postnatal development and in the adult. This can be visualized using the online database of subplate gene expression at https://molnar.dpag.ox.ac.uk/subplate/. We also identify embryonic similarities in gene expression between the ventricular zones, intermediate zone, and subplate, and distinct postnatal similarities between subplate, layer 5, and layers 2/3. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Our database (https://molnar.dpag.ox.ac.uk/subplate/) help the general research community to find suitable markers to reveal subplate, the early generated, largely transient cell population. |
URL | https://molnar.dpag.ox.ac.uk/subplate/ |
Title | Web resource for adult forebrain expression in mouse and chicken at http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/brainevo. |
Description | We explored which genes are actively transcribed in the regions of controversial ancestry in a representative bird (chicken) and mammal (mouse) at adult stages. We conducted four analyses comparing the expression patterns of their 5,130 most highly expressed one-to-one orthologous genes that considered global patterns of expression specificity, strong gene markers, and coexpression networks. we provide a Web resource for adult forebrain expression in mouse and chicken at http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/brainevo. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This dataset not only will enable insights into telencephalic gene expression evolution, but also can facilitate future functional investigations. For example, the cross-species marker lists for striatum and hippocampus can readily be expanded using the advanced search feature on the website. |
URL | http://genserv.anat.ox.ac.uk/brainevo |
Description | Analysis of the Golli-tau-eGFP mouse model. |
Organisation | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
Department | Neuropsychiatric Institute UCLA |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Almost entire analysis of this model has been performed in our laboratory with the help of our collaborators. Some of the surgery has been done at UCLA. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Golli-tau-eGFP model enabled my group to start to analyse the integration of the subplate into the intra and extracortical circuitry. We received constructs to generate our Golli-Cre model, which will be exploited in our future work on selective subplate modulation. |
Impact | 19289548J Physiol. 2009 May 1;587(Pt 9):1903-15. Epub 2009 Mar 16. Dynamic integration of subplate neurons into the cortical barrel field circuitry during postnatal development in the Golli-tau-eGFP (GTE) mouse. Piñon MC, Jethwa A, Jacobs E, Campagnoni A, Molnár Z. |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | Comparative aspects of subplate neurons |
Organisation | University of Melbourne |
Department | Department of Pharmacology |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We performed all analysis on the marsupial brain samples. |
Collaborator Contribution | We received Marsupial brain samples for further analysis. |
Impact | Multidisciplinary: Anatomy, comparative neurobiology, genomicsComparative aspects of subplate zone studied with gene expression in sauropsids and mammals. Wang WZ, Oeschger FM, Montiel JF, García-Moreno F, Hoerder-Suabedissen A, Krubitzer L, Ek CJ, Saunders NR, Reim K, Villalón A, Molnár Z. Cereb Cortex. 2011 Oct;21(10):2187-203. Epub 2011 Mar 2. PMID: 21368089 |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Comprehensive spatiotemporal map of the primate brain transcriptome - adviser to Allen Brain Research Institute |
Organisation | Allen Institute for Brain Science |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My laboratory has been involved in the planning and the analysis of this large transcriptomic analysis of the developing macaque brain. In particular we advised on the laser dissection of embryonic cortical layers and on the analysis and interpretation of the data. The paper is under review in Nature, I pasted the abstract below: The detailed transcriptional underpinnings of brain development and neuropsychiatric disease are poorly understood, particularly in humans and closely related primate model organisms. To fill this gap, we describe a comprehensive spatiotemporal transcriptional atlas of rhesus monkey brain development that combines dense pre- and postnatal temporal coverage with fine anatomical parcellation of cortical and subcortical regions associated with human neurological and psychiatric disease. Using these data, we show high rates of expression change throughout prenatal and early postnatal development that taper off sharply during childhood, which are of comparable magnitude in both dividing precursors and maturing postmitotic neurons. Prenatal patterning varies dramatically from postnatal stages, while acquisition of adult-like molecular profiles for cortical layers and areas occurs gradually but surprisingly late in postnatal life. Different cell populations show discrete but overlapping expression profiles and show evidence for differences in developmental timing but also an unexpected degree of synchrony of specific developmental processes. Comparing rhesus gene expression trajectories to human, rat and mouse reveals large-scale differences between primates and rodents and a number of genes with human-specific temporal patterning. This transcriptional map, along with corresponding neuroimaging reference and cellular resolution gene expression data, provide a rich, freely accessible resource for understanding spatiotemporal transcriptional dynamics of primate and human brain development. |
Collaborator Contribution | All experiments and tissue processing was done by the Allen Brain Research Institute. |
Impact | The output will be published on the appropriate website for the DEVELOPING non-human primate developing atlas, similarly to the adult website: http://www.blueprintnhpatlas.org/ |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Detailed transcriptome analysis in the the adult mouse cortical layers. |
Organisation | National Institutes of Health (NIH) |
Department | National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | We are driving the project through the biological questions and we are responsible completely for the tissue dissection, RNA processing etc. |
Collaborator Contribution | NHGRI is underwriting all the costs for sequencing and provide huge support for the analysis. MRC FGU Oxford is collaborating with us on the rest. |
Impact | The production of the first batch of samples has been completed and the first sequences are in our possession. We are closely collaborating with bioinformatics experts at NIH and FGU Oxford on the analysis. We are particularly interested in comparing the subplate and layer 6 expressions. |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | Einstein Visiting Fellowship awarded to Zoltán Molnár from Einstein Stiftung, Germany |
Organisation | Charité - University of Medicine Berlin |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Einstein Visiting Fellowship awarded to Zoltán Molnár. Professor Zoltán Molnár has been awarded an Einstein Visiting Fellowship to Charité - University Medicine, Berlin. This award sees him join the dynamic Oxford | Berlin collaboration, a strategic research partnership that supports high quality joint research initiatives across all disciplines of its member institutions, of which Neuroscience is a major focus. He will be working with the research group run by Professor Britta Eickholt, Director of Institute and Director of Centrum and Group Leader Signaling mechanisms in brain development and disease. Read more on Berlin University Alliance, Cluster of excellence NeuroCure, Oxford Centre in Berlin, Einstein Foundation, and Einstein Center for Neurosciences of the Charité. |
Collaborator Contribution | Professor Zoltán Molnár will be conducting collaborative research at Charité - University Medicine as an Einstein Visiting Fellow over the next three years. He will be working with the research group run by Professor Britta Eickholt, Director of Institute and Director of Centrum and Group Leader Signaling mechanisms in brain development and disease, and become part of the Cluster of Excellence NeuroCure supported by a collaborative grant from the Einstein Stiftung. The Eickholt and Molnár groups will join forces to test an important hypothesis about the involvement of an early generated, but largely transient, neuronal population in the cerebral cortex (subplate/layer6b) in autism and epilepsy. Professor Molnár said: "There is a very strong case for the idea that these conditions may result from over growth of the subplate/layer 6b neurons induced by overactivity of the mTOR pathway in these neurons during development." Professor Eickholt is an expert in mouse genetic models of mTOR pathway and Professor Molnár specialises in early cortical circuits with special attention to subplate/layer 6b neurons. Their collaborative work will directly examine in mouse genetic models whether the miswiring of the earliest cortical circuits with subplate is induced by dysregulation of subplate cell death and synaptic re-wiring by over activated mTOR. It will test whether mTOR over activation will lead to a hypersensitive, overactive and hyperexcitatory layer 6b in the mature brain with behavioural changes. According to Professor Molnár: "These are key questions in understanding the etiology of autism and epilepsy." The research will also test whether we can prevent the miswiring of the subplate induced by dysregulation of subplate cell death and synaptic re-wiring by over activated mTOR by administering the mTOR antagonist, rapamycin, during the first two weeks of development, a period during which the subplate neurons undergo apoptosis and connectivity changes. Professor Molnár said: "The proposed work is in basic circuit analysis in mouse, but it has very general biological and clinical implications in the understanding and possible treatment of autism and epilepsy." Professor Molnár has already enjoyed a strong and sustained collaboration with Victor Tarabykin's laboratory based at Charité, Berlin. The support from Einstein Stiftung will establish new collaborations with Britta Eickholt, Matthew Larkum, Timothy Zolnik andChristian Rosenmund from Berlin, DPAG's Vladyslav Vyazovskiy andEd Mann and Andrew Sharott from the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit at the University of Oxford. Previous interactions between DPAG and Charité took place through a successful mini symposium organised by Professor Molnár, held in November 2019 at the DPAG Sherrington Building on "Mechanisms of synaptic release and secretion" and "Mechanisms of Brain State Control". The project will establish a superb core in developmental and circuit neuroscience with leading groups. The Einstein Fellowship to Professor Molnár will also catalyse further long-term relationship between Berlin and Oxford while pursuing first class research on a highly timely and exciting project. Director of Oxford in Berlin Professor Alastair Buchan said: "Oxford in Berlin is so very pleased to welcome Zoltán to Berlin, (now known as the "City of Brains") and the Charité, which in collaboration with Humboldt University, hosts the Neurocure Cluster, a part of the Berlin University Alliance. Neuroscience is a major focus of the Oxford | Berlin collaboration which covers the Arts and Humanities, Social Science and Science and Health and has now created a new joint centre for Advanced Studies. What really matters however is people and having Zoltán given this Einstein Foundation funding, I hope will see the start of increased mobility between Oxford and Berlin in the years to come." |
Impact | No joint publication yet. Collaborative grant was awarded from Einstein Stiftung. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | I helped with the new edition of the brain part of the Kaufman's Atlas of Mouse Development. |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Brain Development Z Molnár, DJ Price Kaufman's Atlas of Mouse Development Supplement: With Coronal Sections, 239 |
Collaborator Contribution | Brain Development Authors Zoltán Molnár, David J Price Publication date 2015/9/23 Journal Kaufman's Atlas of Mouse Development Supplement: With Coronal Sections Pages 239 Publisher Academic Press Description This chapter is divided into several sections that follow the chronological development of the mammalian brain (Goffinet and Rakic, 2000). It starts with a discussion of the specification of future neural tissue and the early types of signaling that contribute to the regionalization of the central nervous system (CNS)(E5-E12). Then, focusing mainly on the cerebral cortex, the text describes in detail how different cell types are generated and sets out some general principles underlying the layered structure of the mature neocortex (E12-P8). The mature ... Scholar articles Brain Development Z Molnár, DJ Price - Kaufman's Atlas of Mouse Development Supplement: , 2015 Related articles |
Impact | https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=U-GcBAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA239&ots=rC3BP_nnya&sig=dq96eq2DhH-R89_Zbo2O29gICGM#v=onepage&q&f=false |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Microarray screen on the gene expression of cerebral cortical layers |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Department | MRC Functional Genomics Unit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Our tem drove this project through almost entirely, but the processing and the analysis of the microarrays were done by OXION and MRC FGU, Oxford. |
Collaborator Contribution | The MRC FGU Oxford (Director Kay Davies) helped us to process and analyse the gene expression in subplate neurons by using their core facilities for microarray analysis. The Wellcome Trust funded OXION Program (Fran Ashcroft) further provide core support for such work. |
Impact | Publications: 19580671 and 19008461 Also see review: PMID: 18494261 |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Molecular characterisation of adult subplate |
Organisation | National Institutes of Health (NIH) |
Department | National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | We proposed the project. Contributed to the planning, my team collected the brain samples, performed the dissection of layers and performed the RNA extraction. We also played role in the histological validation and interpretation of the results. |
Collaborator Contribution | Our NIH Collaborators funded all the sequencing reported in our recent publication PMID: 21867878. We continue this collaboration for some comparative work (avian - mammalian comparisons) and again NIH shall fund all the costs of these as well. |
Impact | Multidisciplinary - Anatomy, Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics A transcriptomic atlas of mouse neocortical layers. Belgard TG, Marques AC, Oliver PL, Abaan HO, Sirey TM, Hoerder-Suabedissen A, García-Moreno F, Molnár Z, Margulies EH, Ponting CP. Neuron. 2011 Aug 25;71(4):605-16. PMID: 21867878 |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Oxford Martin School Program on 3D Printing for Brain Repair. Collaboration with Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Chemistry |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Oxford Martin School Program on 3D Printing for Brain Repair. A team of Oxford University scientists, comprising DPAG's Zoltán Molnár and Francis Szele, the Department of Chemistry's Hagan Bayley and Oxford Martin Fellow Dr Linna Zhou, are proposing a radical new approach funded by the Oxford Martin School: repairing the brain with 3D-printed neural tissues that are generated from human stem cells. Read the interview with Prof Szele and Molnár on DPAG News. |
Collaborator Contribution | Brain damage, whether through disease or trauma, can be devastating for patients and their families. To date, pharmaceuticals and biotherapeutics have failed to effectively treat brain damage, and alternative approaches are urgently required. This programme is pioneering a radical new approach in which the brain is repaired with 3D-printed neural tissues. Looking initially at traumatic brain injury, which affects 5.3 million people globally, the research will lay the groundwork for tackling brain repair with personalised neural implants, produced by 3D printing with the patients' own stem cells. The project aims to create cortical tissue by generating neurons and support cells from human stem cells, "pre organising" the cells in three dimensions and then culturing the cells in-vitro to prepare them for implantation, initially in animal models. The programme will also need to perfect the microsurgical skills required to implant the cortical tissue, and establish the critical time window for implantation. Assessment of integration, electrical activity and behavioural recovery post-implantation will also be required. Even five years ago 3D printing brain implants from human stem cells would have been considered science fiction. Now we have the means to make it a reality, and to generate a low-cost medical technology to address the growing global catastrophe of brain damage through trauma and disease. |
Impact | No joint publications yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Oxford Martin School Program on 3D Printing for Brain Repair. Collaboration with Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Chemistry |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Oxford Martin School Program on 3D Printing for Brain Repair. A team of Oxford University scientists, comprising DPAG's Zoltán Molnár and Francis Szele, the Department of Chemistry's Hagan Bayley and Oxford Martin Fellow Dr Linna Zhou, are proposing a radical new approach funded by the Oxford Martin School: repairing the brain with 3D-printed neural tissues that are generated from human stem cells. Read the interview with Prof Szele and Molnár on DPAG News. |
Collaborator Contribution | Brain damage, whether through disease or trauma, can be devastating for patients and their families. To date, pharmaceuticals and biotherapeutics have failed to effectively treat brain damage, and alternative approaches are urgently required. This programme is pioneering a radical new approach in which the brain is repaired with 3D-printed neural tissues. Looking initially at traumatic brain injury, which affects 5.3 million people globally, the research will lay the groundwork for tackling brain repair with personalised neural implants, produced by 3D printing with the patients' own stem cells. The project aims to create cortical tissue by generating neurons and support cells from human stem cells, "pre organising" the cells in three dimensions and then culturing the cells in-vitro to prepare them for implantation, initially in animal models. The programme will also need to perfect the microsurgical skills required to implant the cortical tissue, and establish the critical time window for implantation. Assessment of integration, electrical activity and behavioural recovery post-implantation will also be required. Even five years ago 3D printing brain implants from human stem cells would have been considered science fiction. Now we have the means to make it a reality, and to generate a low-cost medical technology to address the growing global catastrophe of brain damage through trauma and disease. |
Impact | No joint publications yet. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Production of the conditional Snap25 KO mouse model. |
Organisation | University of New Mexico |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We shall use this model in combination with other transgenic models to selectively eliminate regulated synaptic vesicle release in (1) subplate, (2) dorsal thalamus or (3) layer 4 in the cerebral cortex. These experiments shall help us with the dissection of cortical circuits. |
Collaborator Contribution | We shall receive the mouse line with floxed Snap25 from the university of New Mexico for our experiments. |
Impact | We have already published in this collaboration (PMID: 11753414 and PMID: 12451131), but the above described experiments could lead to a very productive approach in dissecting functional cortical interactions. |
Description | Snap 25 KO analysis |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Department | MRC Functional Genomics Unit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We performed all the analomical and hystopathological analysis of the Snap25 mutant and compared this result to the Snap25 KO. |
Collaborator Contribution | The MRC FGU helped us with behavioural analysis and with gene expression analysis (microarray work). |
Impact | 17283335 |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | Subplate Gene Expression Atlas |
Organisation | King's College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Subplate Gene Expression Atlas illustrates the cortical expression patterns of 426 selected genes. These genes were identified by both microarray/RNA seq and in situ hybridization studies as preferentially expressed in subplate at at least one developmental age (E15, E18, P4/P7/P8 and Adult). The expression patterns illustrated in the Atlas are derived from published or publicly available in situ hybridization images. Expression levels were categorized for the illustration according to two criteria: abundance of cells (abundant vs sparse) and expression level (no labeling detected vs weak labeling vs strong labeling). |
Collaborator Contribution | A microarray based approach was used to identify genes expressed at a higher level in the mouse subplate compared to overlying cortical plate at embryonic ages E15.5 and E18.5 and subplate compared to overlying layer 6a at postnatal P8 (Affymetrix Gene ST1.0 at E15, Affymetrix 430 2.0 for E18.5 and P8). Data was RMA normalized and putatively differential gene expression (>1.5-fold higher in subplate, nominal p<0.05) determined. High-throughput sequencing data was used to identify genes expressed at a higher level (>1.5 fold) in the adult mouse subplate/layer 6b compared to the adjacent layer 6a. In total, 1642 genes were identified as potentially SP enriched at least at one age. Of these, 426 genes could be confirmed as SP enriched using published or publicly available databases including Allen Mouse Brain Atlas (Adult), Allen Developing Mouse Brain Atlas (E15.5, E18.5, P4 and P14), Genepaint.org (E14.5, P7 and Adult) and or our own in situ hybridization or immunohistochemistry experiments. The schematic results of this are presented here in the "Subplate Gene Expression Atlas". Genes with uniform or no labelling, or for which no images could be found, were not included. Using the above approach, we selected against genes that are subplate expressed, but are additionally expressed in layer 6a at equal or higher levels. Furthermore, there may be subplate specific or enriched genes not identified by the microarrays. Thus, genes important for the differentiation of the deep cortical layers or those relevant in the specification of subplate prior to E15.5 may not be included here. This Subplate Gene Expression Atlas is an ongoing project and over time more genes identified by other sources may be added if there is convincing evidence of their subplate enriched expression at the above time points. |
Impact | Expression profiling of mouse subplate reveals a dynamic gene network and disease association with autism and schizophrenia. Hoerder-Suabedissen A, Oeschger FM, Krishnan ML, Belgard TG, Wang WZ, Lee S, Webber C, Petretto E, Edwards AD, Molnár Z. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Feb 26;110(9):3555-60. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Subplate in a rat model of preterm hypoxia-ischemia |
Organisation | Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland |
Collaborator Contribution | The group of Professor Truttmann provided us with a hypoxia model and brains for analysis. P2 rats underwent permanent occlusion of the right common carotid artery followed by a period of hypoxia. P8 rats were perfused and all subsequent analysis using immuno- histochemistry; subplate and deep layers cells were performed in Oxford. We quantified and compared cortical neuron numbers in various areas with sham-operated case. |
Impact | Subplate in a rat model of preterm hypoxia-ischemia. Authors: Chika Okusa, Franziska Oeschger, Vanessa Ginet, Wei-Zhi Wang, Anna Hoerder-Suabedissen, Tomohiro Matsuyama, Anita C Truttmann, Zoltán Molnár. Publication date 2014/9/1 Journal: Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology Volume 1, Issue 9, Pages: 679-691. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Subplate transcriptome analysis in macaque and human |
Organisation | Allen Institute for Brain Science |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are currently analysing data (that is very similar to our original description of the subplate-specific transcriptome in mice - see Hoerder-Suabedissen et al., 2009; Oeschger et al., 2013) in macaque in collaboration with the Allen Brain Institute, Seattle, USA. |
Collaborator Contribution | We defined layers on cytoarchitectonic distinctions, advised ABI on the location and numbers of dissected areas. Provided our data for the mouse - macaque comparisons. |
Impact | http://www.blueprintnhpatlas.org/ |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Validation, characterisation and the use of Snap 25 CONDITIONAL knock out mouse line |
Organisation | University of New Mexico |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Molnar Laboratory (Dr Anna Hoerder-Suabedissen) was leading the validation of the Snap25 cKO mouse. The newly generated Snap25-fl/fl has been validated for silencing in cell culture and gives rise to a barrel phenotype when layer 4 neurons are silenced. |
Collaborator Contribution | Professor Michael Wilson generated the Snap25-fl/fl mouse and started its initial validation. |
Impact | Hoerder-Suabedissen A et al., (2014) FENS Abstr. 3536 |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | 15 BM lectures/year |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Health professionals |
Results and Impact | I give about 15 lectures (to 150-200 medical students) and give over 50 hours of practicals (75 students present at the time) and about 140 hours of tutorials (1-6 students present). In this capacity I educate the future generation of medical practitioners about important aspects of basic research and their translation to the clinic. Several of my students started distinguished research and clinical career within UK or elsewhere. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
Description | 3 FHS and 4 MSC lectures/year |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I dedicate 3 FHS lectures (to 3rd year medical students) and 4 MSC lectures directly related to my own research program. The medical students and the MSC graduate students highly appreciate to be able to hear the latest research results related to cortical development. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Brain Diaries Exhibition - Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Extract from the introduction from the exhibition website: Baby, child, teenager, adult Throughout your life, your brain undergoes extraordinary changes. Fascinating physical developments in your brain unlock each new chapter as you grow. And with billions of neurons and trillions of connections, it responds to your experiences to make you the person you are. What does the latest research tell us about how our brains work, from the minute we are conceived to the moment we die? Explore the Brain Diaries to find out....http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/braindiaries/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/braindiaries/ |
Description | C'est quoi la neurocience? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I gave a presentation (in French) to 10-12 years old students at the International "European" School at Culham. The presentation took 2 hours and received very enthusiastic response form pupils, teachers and subsequently from parents. The school asked me to do this presentation again every year. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Computer Assisted Learning Sessions on Oxford University's Weblearn Site |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Health professionals |
Results and Impact | Oxfor University's Medical Division has a Computer Assisted Cearning Program (CAL - Weblearn). I contributed to the design, photography, content of the Neuroanatomy pages. These include direct links to RESEARCH and basic research questions. I received very positive feedback from students, my peers and from IT professionals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
URL | https://weblearn.ox.ac.uk/portal/hierarchy/medsci |
Description | Interview to BBC on a publication on brain fording in Nature Physics by Tuomas Tallinen, a soft matter physicist at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland and a co-authors. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview to BBC on a publication on brain fording in Nature Physics by Tuomas Tallinen, a soft matter physicist at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland and a co-authors. I discussed research with Dr Jonathan Webb, Science reporter, BBC News and my comments were used in the Science and Environment BBC Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35438294 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35438294 |
Description | Interview to the OX Magazine on Brain Awareness Week 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | From the 10th March the Museum of Natural History are opening an exhibition and series of events on the mysteries of neurological development - Brain Diaries. I was approached by the OX Magazine to give an interview and discuss the highlights of this exhibition and also my own research. This was produced for the general public in Oxfordshire. The interview can be accessed on: http://oxhc.co.uk/Brain-Diaries-In-conversation-with-Professor-Zoltan-Molnar.asp |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://oxhc.co.uk/Brain-Diaries-In-conversation-with-Professor-Zoltan-Molnar.asp |
Description | Lecture for the Oxford Medical Lecture Club on 28th January 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Oxford Medical Lecture Club is for the Retired Clinical Professionals of University of Oxford. The members organise the meetings and invite lecturers. My lecture was on the History of Neuroscience in Oxford (with special attention to Willis and Sherrington). https://www.facebook.com/molnarlab/posts/768407353351984 The members of the group were encouraged to contribute to the History of Medical Sciences Project website with their memories and conserve historic letters, manuscripts with general importance. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.facebook.com/molnarlab/posts/768407353351984 |
Description | Molnar Laboratory FaceBook Page with over 200 followers |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Molnar Laboratory has its own Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/molnarlab/ There are over 200 followers. The FB page advertises seminars, lectures, conferences and keeps in touch with alumni of the laboratory. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016,2017,2018,2019 |
URL | https://www.facebook.com/molnarlab/ |
Description | Open day presentation on medicine and neuroscience |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I usually do about 5 Open Day presentations a year. They each take less then an hour, but the attendance is excellent (20-40 pupils an each occasions). Numerous medical students reported that the open day presentations influenced their career decisions (towards medicine and research). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
Description | Professor Molnar has a Twitter Account with Science Focus |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Professor Molnar has a Twitter Account (https://twitter.com/ZoltanMolnar64) that has outreach function. Seminars, lectures and conferences are advertised. It also draws attention to recent publications and presentations. There are over 300 followers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020 |
URL | https://twitter.com/ZoltanMolnar64 |
Description | Professor Zoltán Molnár features in BBC programme 'How the NHS Changed our World' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/news/professor-zoltan-molnar-features-in-bbc-programme-how-the-nhs-changed-our-world The BBC recently visited Zoltán Molnár, Professor of Neuroscience here in DPAG, to discuss the research undertaken by Sir Charles Scott Sherrington, during his time in the Laboratory of Physiology, as part of a new series on 'How the NHS Changed our World'. Sherrintgon kept hundreds of of microscope slides in a specially constructed Histological Box, which has been preserved and is now kept by Zoltán here in the Department. In the interview, Zoltán sheds light on how Sherrington and his colleagues would shed their skin for the sake of scientific research. Sherrington's notes reveal how popular self-experimentation was in those days. The interview can be viewed here and you can also watch the whole episode on iPlayer. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/news/professor-zoltan-molnar-features-in-bbc-programme-how-the-nhs-changed... |
Description | Quatercentenary of Thomas Willis's birth - Website with Interviews |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Prepared by Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, St John's College and Oxford Neuroscience, Anatomical Society to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Thomas Willis' birthday on the 27th January 2021. Interviews: Erica Charters, Alastair Buchan, Alastair Compston, Chrystalina Antoniades, Kevin Talbot, Milos Judas, Petra Hofmann, Iain Pears. Lectures and Videos: Prof Alastair Compston - "Dr Thomas Willis's works: 'the most learned Christopher Wren and the inward dens of the Brain" (16th June 2011), Stuart Panter - Thomas Willis' Works Rooms at Oxford, Zoltán Molnár - Opening of the European University for Brain and Technology - Neurotech EU, 16 Dec 2020, Zoltán Molnár - Thomas Willis (1621-1675) 400th Anniversary Lecture, Anatomical Society Winter Meeting, 8th January 2021, Online exhibition at St John's College (opened on 12 January 2021). https://sway.office.com/sDxoxop8O0u4gRD3?ref=Link Prepared by Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, St John's College, Oxford Neuroscience, and The Anatomical Society to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birthday of the greatest neuroanatomist of all time, Thomas Willis, on 27 January 2021. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
URL | https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/about-us/our-history/thomas-willis |
Description | The 2015 Brain Awareness Week Lecture at Museum of the History of Science, Oxford 19th March 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The 2015 Brain Awareness Week Lecture at Museum of the History of Science, Oxford 19th March 2015. This lecture was part of the Brain Awareness Week activities at Oxford. The lecture was entitled: "Neuroscience in Oxford: Four Centuries of Discovery" and was aimed at the general public. The lecture was recorded and now available on: https://history.medsci.ox.ac.uk/seminars/history-of-medical-sciences-seminar-series/prof-zoltan-molnar-neuroscience-in-oxford-four-centuries-of-discovery/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://history.medsci.ox.ac.uk/seminars/history-of-medical-sciences-seminar-series/prof-zoltan-moln... |
Description | The 2015 Brain Awareness Week Lecture at Museum of the History of Science, Oxford 19th March 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The lecture was hosted by the History of Science Museum and it was entitled: "Neuroscience in Oxford: Four Centuries of Discovery". The lecture theatre was completely full and the lecture was recorded and posted to: https://history.medsci.ox.ac.uk/seminars/history-of-medical-sciences-seminar-series/prof-zoltan-molnar-neuroscience-in-oxford-four-centuries-of-discovery/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://history.medsci.ox.ac.uk/seminars/history-of-medical-sciences-seminar-series/prof-zoltan-moln... |
Description | Zoltán Molnár - Opening Lecture for the European University for Brain and Technology - Neurotech EU, 16 Dec 2020 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Prof. Molnar is best known for his careful, insightful and mechanistic studies on brain development across species. He is also an expert in the History of Neuroscience. Therefore we are delighted that he could deliver this lecture on some of the early building blocks of modern neuroscience. As we are opening a new chapter in Brain research and education with our European University, it is a perfect opportunity to look into the past altogether. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K0r-hjVCBM |
Description | Zoltán Molnár - Thomas Willis (1621-1675) 400th Anniversary Lecture, Anatomical Society Winter Meeting, |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Zoltán Molnár - Thomas Willis (1621-1675) 400th Anniversary Lecture, Anatomical Society Winter Meeting, |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJJoWSyn0Zk |
Description | http://www.neuroscience.ox.ac.uk/directory/zoltan-molnar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Health professionals |
Results and Impact | I receive applications from around the World from postdoctoral fellows and graduate students. I received one Japanese and one Australian postdoctoral fellow to my laboratory (they brought their own funding) due to the website. I receive Fullbright and Rhodes Scholars to my laboratory triggered through the website. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014 |
URL | http://www.neuroscience.ox.ac.uk/research_directory/m-p/zoltan-molnar |