Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Enard

Primary research focus: Molecular & Developmental Neuroscience

Second research focus: Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience

Keywords: evolution, primates, single-cell RNA-seq, Foxp2

Brief research description: We study how molecular circuitries in humans evolve. This includes questions regarding the role of the transcription factor FOXP2 in human speech evolution, genetic determinants of brain size expansion in mammals and evolution of gene expression networks in primates. Methodologically we use mouse models, induced pluripotent stem cells and genomic assays like single-cell RNA-sequencing in close collaboration with the computational approaches developed in the Hellmann lab.

Graduated GSN Students: Dr Aleksandar Janjic

Selected publications:

Janjic, A. et al. Prime-seq, efficient and powerful bulk RNA sequencing. Genome Biol 23, 88, doi:10.1186/s13059-022-02660-8 (2022).

Geuder, J. et al. A non-invasive method to generate induced pluripotent stem cells from primate urine. Scientific reports 11, 3516, doi:10.1038/s41598-021-82883-0 (2021).

Ziegenhain, C. et al. Comparative Analysis of Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Methods. Molecular cell 65, 631-643 e634, doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2017.01.023 (2017).

Schreiweis*, C. et al. Humanized Foxp2 accelerates learning by enhancing transitions from declarative to procedural performance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111, 14253-14258, doi:10.1073/pnas.1414542111 (2014).

Enard, W. et al. A humanized version of Foxp2 affects cortico-basal ganglia circuits in mice. Cell 137, 961-971, doi:10.1016/j.cell.2009.03.041 (2009).